Life Changes
by BuffyL
Summary: Set in season 6, Buffy Willow, Xander and Dawn take a trip to New Orleans and meet someone that will change Buffy's life. Wackiness ensues after they get back. This is my 1st fanfic, please RR, and be kind. Previously Untitledhelp me out with a name
1. Surprise Spike!

Chapter 1  
  
"God! Has it ever been this boring?" Buffy asked herself. She looked around and started humming the tune to a song that she couldn't get out of her head for the past 3 days. She didn't remember the words, but the tune was catchy.  
  
"Here vampires. Come out and play! Cause I am so bored right now!"  
  
"Be careful what you wish for luv."  
  
Buffy turned quickly at the familiar voice and looked up at the bleached blond vampire that she had been so consumed with not that long ago.  
  
"Spike, God you scared me!" she groaned.  
  
"Sorry luv, didn't mean to. I just heard your little plea and couldn't help myself," he said watching her stand to face him. She was wearing her signature black pants and a black turtleneck. Her short hair was pulled back into a little ponytail that, in a way, drove Spike a little nuts.  
  
"What are you staring at?"  
  
Her sudden words gave Spike pause and then he realized that he had been staring at the object of his desires.  
  
"Sorry. It's just…" His words were suddenly interrupted by the loud growling coming from behind him and Buffy shoving him roughly out of the way.  
  
She quickly gave him a couple of vicious roundhouse kicks and a fast left- right-left punch, then dusted his butt so quick that Spike hadn't even had time to blink. Buffy dusted herself off and started to walk off when she suddenly stopped and murmured something to herself. Spike, thinking that she was going to play nice tonight, reached up a hand for her to grab and help him up. She ignored the hand and walked back to the space that she had been occupying and bent to pick something up behind the bench. It was her slayer bag and that stupid hat that she was forced to wear at the Doublemeat Palace.  
  
"Ugh, I hate this thing! Crap! Would you look at that, vampire dust and…. HEY I just got this!" she said rolling her eyes and shoving it in her bag. "I wonder if when I get back to work if they are going to charge me for another one, cause for these hideous polyester blends, it sure does cost a butt load!"  
  
"Wait, what do you mean 'When you go back to work'? Where are you going?" Spike asked, getting up and moving to block her path.  
  
"That's right, I didn't tell you. Dawn, Willow, Xander, and I are going to New Orleans for a vacation! We all need one! And I figured, 'Hey I have a vacation due to me soon, Dawn is going on Spring Break, Xander is the boss, so he can take whenever off, and Willow REALLY needs a good vacation away from Sunnydale!' So, I told them what I thought and they all agreed and we are leaving first thing tomorrow morning on a 9:00 flight out of LAX." she said without taking a breath.  
  
Spike just stared at her again and snapped out of it enough to ask, "And you were planning telling me all this when?"  
  
"I just did."  
  
"Um, what about slaying?"  
  
"Right, thanks Spike! You can be so sweet sometimes!" With that she turned on her heel and briskly walked off, leaving a very confused Spike watching her retreating figure. 


	2. On Their Way

Chapter 2  
  
"DAWN! Come on we're going to be late!" Buffy screamed for what seemed like the millionth time.  
  
"God! Hold your horses Buffy I'm coming!" came the reply followed by a disheveled Dawn dragging about 2 tons of luggage behind her.  
  
"Hey Dawnster, we aren't moving there or anything. But you seem to go for the anything! Here let me help you." Xander offered as he walked up a few stairs and began to pick up 2 of the heavier suitcases.  
  
"Ever the macho man, huh Xander?" Willow said as she walked back in from the car. "We're all loaded and ready. Now all we need is Dawn's suitcases."  
  
"Sometimes I swear Dawn can be so much like mom when it comes to packing that it is scary." Buffy said as she and Willow followed Xander and Dawn to the Jeep.  
  
"How so?" the red head asked.  
  
"Well, whenever mom would go to LA for just 2 days for some art thing for the art gallery, she would pack like 8 suitcases that were full of junk and clothes that she really didn't need. But, hey, that's ok. I have been known to over pack on occasions." Buffy said with an evil grin.  
  
"What about Spike?"  
  
"What? What about Spike? I wasn't with him at all last night!" Buffy shot back with a deer-in-headlights-look on her face.  
  
"Huh? God Buffy you can be so weird sometimes! I meant did you tell him about the trip and ask him if he could take over slaying while we were gone!"  
  
"Oh, yeah, right, I knew that. Um, yeah I saw him last night, for a few minutes. I told him we were leaving and he said he would take it over till I got back."  
  
"Good. You know, is it just me or do you get jumpy every time I mention Spike? What's up with that Buff?" Willow asked as Buffy locked the door.  
  
"I…."  
  
"Ladies! Come on now. Buffy, weren't you the one complaining about Dawn making us late? Now who is the Summers that holds the Scoobie gang minus Giles back?" Xander interrupted.  
  
"We're comin! Keep your pants on! Geez. Can't I lock my house up?" Buffy asked rolling her eyes and sliding into the passenger seat next to Xander, who got to drive her mom's car because she didn't exactly have her license.  
  
Xander started the car, and soon they were passing the "Now Leaving Sunnydale" sign. They were about half an hour away from LAX when that song that had been stuck in Buffy's head for the past few days suddenly blared out of the cars speakers. God, this song was catchy! Who was it by though? The words defiantly hit a chord with the slayer, and as soon as she was about to ask, the announcer came on and said with his radio-guy voice "That was the Vampire Lestat with 'Forsaken.' You know I haven't heard from them in a while. Ever since that concert in Death Valley, no one's really heard from him."  
  
"I knew that song sounded so familiar! I just couldn't remember what it was! Do you guys remember that concert? I heard that it was some wild fiasco where that Lestat guy claimed to be a vampire and a bunch of guys dressed as even more vampires, attacked him to scare the audience."  
  
"You don't believe that Lestat and all that was real Buffy?" Willow asked from the back seat.  
  
"No! He didn't even have the whole bumpy forehead look and why would any vampire want to just flaunt himself out in the open? Anyways, I have met a couple of pimply over weight vampires who claimed to be Lestat. But everyone knows that that is all just stories in a book. But, man those lyrics really do hit a nerve with me though!"  
  
"How so Buff?" Xander asked, trying to concentrate on the road.  
  
"I just mean…I don't know what I mean. They just sound like he knows what it is like to be a vampire. I mean Angel went around all broody vampire guy that I just so happened to love, and those lyrics kind of remind me of him."  
  
"You miss him don't you?" Willow asked, while Dawn sat beside her smirking, knowing the truth no matter what Buffy's answer might be.  
  
"Of course I miss him Will! I miss him everyday of my life. And I really wish that I could just be with him now because of him losing Conner and all that. He is my soul mate and when something is wrong with him, I am always going to know."  
  
"Wait, how did we get from Lestat to Dead Boy….sorry Buffy, Angel?" Xander asked with a disapproving glare from the slayer herself.  
  
"It just came up ok."  
  
"Um, guys, I know this may not be the best time but I need to pee really bad and it can't wait!" Dawn whined  
  
"Alright Dawn, there is a Target coming up soon and we can stop there real quick, but we kind of have to hurry." Xander said as he pulled onto the exit ramp and headed for the Target that was up the road a couple of miles.  
  
They pulled into the parking lot and scrambled out of the car. Dawn took off at a run and Buffy, Xander, and Willow walked hurridley up to the store.  
  
"You gotta go Buff?" Willow asked motioning to the Ladies restroom.  
  
"No, no. Um, I'll meet you all back here in a few minutes ok?" Buffy replied as she headed towards the CDs.  
  
Ten minutes later she returned to the spot with a small Target bag.  
  
"Whatcha got in the bag Buffy?" Dawn asked as they made their way quickly back to the car.  
  
"Well, I went and found Lestat's CD and I thought we could listen to it while we wait for slow poke Xander here to get us to LAX on time."  
  
She finally got the annoying plastic off the CD and pulled the PULL sticker thing off and popped it into the CD player. Not 5 seconds later they were listening to the Egyptian like Goth-Rock music of the Vampire Lestat.  
  
As they arrived at LAX 20 minutes later, Buffy ejected the CD and threw it in her carry on bag. They went through the whole routine of the Ids and the medal detectors and bag checks and finally 2 hours later were on their way to New Orleans where a big surprise adventure waited for Buffy. 


	3. New Orleans

Chapter 3  
  
"New Orleans here we are!" yelled Xander  
  
They were standing at the baggage claim watching all the bags go around and around. So far they had collected 5 out of their 9 bags. The big sign beside the baggage claim stood out like a sore thumb, with its brightly colored decorations and big bold letters saying "Welcome To New Orleans."  
  
"Hey Buff, you ok?" Willow asked startling Buffy out of her trance.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Jet lag, that's all. I am ready to hit the town!" Buffy smiled and collected her 2 bags at her sides. Xander had just pulled off the last 4 bags  
  
*All belonging to Dawn* Buffy noted.  
  
"This is to awesome! I have never been to New Orleans before. Why did we choose it again?" Xander asked. "OH, that's right…because of the food! Yes, I can't wait. When do we eat?"  
  
"God Xander, is that all you think about? We came here for the nice climate, cool landmarks, interesting people, it's the closest to France we are ever gonna get…and the food!" Buffy said laughing along with the others. She hadn't felt this good in a long time. She could defiantly tell that this vacation was going to work out ok for her.  
  
"So, hotel first, then we hit the town! Hey Buffy, are we going to go see Lafayette Cemetery? Cause, that would be totally cool. For you I mean. Cause, like all the graves are above ground. And wouldn't that be cool if you could go back to Sunnydale and say 'Pft, to these cemeteries, I patrolled the Lafayette Cemetery!" Suddenly Willow looked a little sheepish. "But of course there will be no patrolling here, cause, um, vacation. I'll stop now."  
  
"That's alright Will. Your intentions are honorable and dually noted. No I will not be patrolling. It's vacation time and nothing is going to ruin that!" Buffy laughed and hugged her best friend.  
  
Half an hour later, they were dumping their suitcases in their hotel rooms (which happened to be connected).  
  
"Ok, I'm up for a shower and a quick change before we go out. I don't think that traveling clothes would look good at any of the nice restaurants here." Buffy said as she headed towards the bathroom.  
  
"I'm for it to. I got this one first, Xander." Willow said. She and Xander had taken a room together because Buffy wanted to keep a close eye on Dawn. Since her secret life as a crook had been busted right open, a lot of Buffy's trust in her younger sister had been lost.  
  
"Cool, Dawn and I will see what's on TV while we wait." Xander replied. Then under his breath, "We'll see if they have the dirty movies channel."  
  
"Xander! You most certainly will not show my LITTLE sister that! My God, you perv!" Buffy screamed just before she was about to close the door.  
  
"How the heck did you hear that?"  
  
"I'm a slayer numbskull! Good hearing comes with the slayer package."  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry Dawnster, that'll have to wait until big sis is out patrolling one night."  
  
"Um, no thanks Xander. That kind of stuff just doesn't, um, excite me. But you can if you want. You know, in the privacy of your own home!" Dawn shot back laughing.  
  
About and hour later they were all cleaned and ready to go out on the town for a fun evening. They ate at this really cool restaurant where Xander got the fullest plate piled high with all the Cajun food to give even the Devil himself a bad case of heartburn. Buffy ordered a small plate of chicken in a really tasty sauce over leeks (that's a type of onion). Dawn got some really spicy shrimp and French fries, while Willow enjoyed the appetizer special where she got a small portion of everything on the appetizer list. Afterwards they all had a slice of chocolate truffle cake that was really rich, but really good. Xander was about to burst after he finished eating because the cake had made him slightly hyper and he was almost bouncing in his chair, which started to upset his stomach, which made all that Cajun food decide to kick in. After Xander downed about five glasses of water they all went to the bathroom, then paid for their dinners, and started walking around, looking at all the shops, cafés, and restaurants that caught their eyes. After about two hours of walking Xander, Willow, and Dawn started complaining about their feet starting to hurt and wanting to go back to the hotel so they could relax and maybe go swimming in the hotel pool. Buffy, being the slayer, was able to endure more than they could decided to keep walking around. The others caught a cab.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go on alone Buffy? We could stay with you if you want us to." Willow offered.  
  
"No, you guys are tired and I am so not ready to go back yet. I'll catch up with you guys later. This is too awesome!" Buffy replied with a genuine smile on her face.  
  
"Ok Buffy, but remember, this is a vacation so no patrolling. Promise?"  
  
"Girl Scouts honor! But if I happen to see a vampire, I might just have to do my job. I don't think I could deal if someone died because I turned my head like the rest of the world." She quickly flashed a stake that she had stashed in her leather jacket.  
  
"Buffy! Put that away! Someone might see it." Willow had her saucer eyes on and was looking around to see if anyone had noticed the wooden weapon that had saved her life time and time again. No one had so she calmed down a little and looked back at her best friend. "Ok Buffy, have fun. We'll see you later."  
  
"Bye guys! Dawn, be good!"  
  
"I will Buffy. Duh, its Xander and Willow! I wouldn't do anything bad to them!" Dawn replied with that my-horns-are-holding-up-my-halo look.  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy said warningly.  
  
"I WILL Buffy. Geez!"  
  
As soon as the cab had pulled away Buffy started to head towards the famous cemetery. Sure she was breaking her word, but hey! How could a slayer resist this once in a lifetime thing? No sooner had she gotten only a block away from Lafayette Cemetery, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and her slayer senses kick into action. She sped up her pace a little and pulled the stake out, hiding it near her stomach so her attacker couldn't see its fate. Buffy quickly rounded a corner and shimmied up the wall of the cemetery. She could tell her attacker had followed her over the wall and she ducked behind a really old looking mosoleum. She must be near the back of the cemetery, because all the mosoleums looked old like this one. She didn't hear the vampire come up behind her until she heard the most silky smooth voice she had ever heard before say, "I believe that is my tomb that you are standing by."  
  
Buffy turned abruptly and looked up into the face of one of the hottest guys she had ever seen. Despite how hot he was, she still knew that he was a vampire and assumed her old slayer posture and smart-ass-ness that made up Buffy Summers.  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't see your name on it, although it is a pretty nice size tomb. Maybe if I walked all the way around I could see where you might have carved your name."  
  
The blonde, 6 foot tall vampire pointed up at the name over the door and said, "Oh, but I believe that it does have my name on it."  
  
Buffy looked up and read the name.  
  
LESTAT DE LOINCOURT. 


	4. The Vampire Lestat

Chapter 4  
  
Buffy turned, wide eyed to stare at the vampire claiming to be Lestat. Then suddenly she burst out laughing.  
  
"Yeah right! You expect me to believe that one? Lestat is a character thought up by an author with a messed up, but really cool mind!"  
  
"You don't believe me? No surprise there!"  
  
"Of course I don't believe you! My God, I'm the slayer! I have met one to many vamps claiming to be who you say you are, but come on!"  
  
"Well, I have never received that reaction before! Sometimes they run, but others just kind of shrug and walk off. Although my fans, they 'believed' in me."  
  
"Your fans?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hold on a sec, k?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
Buffy reached down into her purse and pulled out the CD case that she had been carrying with her since she had bought the thing back in California. She quickly opened the case and took out the little booklet and flipped to the page with the picture of Lestat in front of his band. She looked at the picture then back up at "Lestat." The resemblance was uncanny.  
  
"No! No way! You look exactly like this guy!"  
  
"That is because I am 'that same guy.'"  
  
"But, then you can't be real, because I have read all the books and Lestat is just a character in them. If you are real, and I'm not saying that you are, but why don't you have the bumpy forehead working for you?"  
  
"Oh, you had to bring up those disgusting, pitiful excuses for vampires, didn't you?"  
  
"Huh? Wait hey! I have a friend that is one of those excuses! Actually two."  
  
"My condolences to you then. But they are a different breed."  
  
"Different breed?"  
  
"Yes, different breed. They are the original vampires, sorry to say. They are true demon forms. My kind, however, are of a spirit form. The first vampire, my darling Akasha, was created by a horrible spirit that, while she and Kind Enkil were dying from fatal stab wounds, inhabited her body and mixed with her soul and blood."  
  
"Ok, sorry to interrupt this very entertaining story, but can we go somewhere else? This cemetery is just the tiniest bit creepy. I'm used to places that don't stink this much."  
  
"You can smell the stench of death?"  
  
"Yup, and it drives me up a wall! It's this whole thing about being the slayer that all your senses are heightened and it can get quite annoying, seeing as how I'm not really supposed to be here right now."  
  
"Interesting! Certainly we can go somewhere else. This place gets to me after some time also. My house is not far from here, we can go there. Unless you had somewhere else in mind?"  
  
"No, no. That is perfectly all right with me! I mean how many chances am I gonna get to go to a rock star's house?"  
  
He chuckled. They had started to walk.  
  
"What? What did I say?"  
  
"Rock star."  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"I'm sorry, that has always been a very interesting term to me. I was only in the lime light, as you people call it, for a very short time."  
  
"Still. You had this major fan base! And…."  
  
Her words trailed off and died on her lips as she was escorted up the walkway of a really old, but astoundingly beautiful house. 


	5. Tell All Buffy

Chapter 5  
  
"I wonder where Buffy is. It is really getting late! Xander, I am starting to get worried!" Willow said as she paced the floor for the hundredth time.  
  
"Willow, sit down already. For one thing you're going to scare Dawn if she wakes up, and another, I really don't think that the carpet can take another lap of your incessant pacing!" Xander replied getting up to offer Willow his seat. She waved her hand as if to say 'sit back down' and she took the chair opposite the bed.  
  
"I don't want to scare Dawn, but where is she Xander? The stores have probably closed about half an hour ago! Buffy is more responsible than this!"  
  
"Wills, I sure she took up that comment about patrolling Lafayette and she's just caught up in that." Xander said, but not really believing it because he too was worried about Buffy. "Hell maybe she ran into Lestat!"  
  
"Ha! Oh yeah and I'm sure he took her back to his house for some coffee and a conversation!"  
  
1 Back at Lestat's house  
  
"Coffee?" Lestat asked, offering a mug to the beautiful blond sitting on his couch that he had come to know as Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer.  
  
"Oh, thanks! Do you have any sugar and cream?"  
  
"Here." He handed her a small platter with little cream packets and a cup of sugar on it.  
  
"Thanks." Buffy replied taking the spoon and dipping four spoonfuls of sugar into her coffee and then taking a packet of cream and adding that.  
  
"So tell me more about being the slayer. I have heard tales of slayers, but I have never met one. Truthfully, I thought it was just a myth to scare away fledgings."  
  
"Fledgings? OH, you mean newbies? New vamps, right?"  
  
"Newbies! I like that! And yes that is what I meant. But please go on."  
  
"Well, my first watcher Merrick, you do know what a watcher is don't you?" At his nod she continued, "He came to me on the front steps of my school and told me I was the Chosen One, one girl in all the world to battle the forces of evil. I'm thinking, 'Ok this guy is nuts! I don't have a destiny, I'm only 15 years old!' But sure enough, that night I staked my first vampire. It scared the hell out of me! I told my mom and dad and they thought I was nuts and I ended up in a mental institution for two weeks, but that has a story that stems off that which I'll get to later."  
  
They went on like this for hours, Buffy telling her stories of Angel and Spike and Drusilla and the Judge. Going through the Angelus thing after she slept with him, sending Angel, her first love, her soul mate, to hell, running away, senior year, the Mayor, Faith, being bitten by Angel, graduation day, college, the Initiative, Adam, Dawn, the monks, the key, Glory, her mother dying. Buffy had never told anyone the whole story of her life like this before. She was shocking herself! She had just met Lestat and she was telling her life story! She was opening up in ways she hadn't before. She was showing emotion only her Angel had ever seen flow out of her. She was crying at the sad points and laughing at the funny ones!  
  
"I died that night. I died to save the world and I died to save my sister. My gift, death, was one of the most wonderful feelings I have ever had. I was rewarded with peace in death, I was in heaven. I was so happy there. Then the next thing I remember is waking up in my coffin! I didn't know where I was, I could barely see. My instincts told me to get out. I broke through and crawled out of my grave, and when I saw my headstone I really wigged! I walked through the streets terrified out of my mind. I thought that I was in hell. These demons had turn Sunnydale upside down and everything around me was loud and too bright. The fire was almost unbearable! I went back to the place where I died, back up the tower; I was even considering jumping again. I kept thinking that if I did this nightmare would end and I could go back to my peace. Dawn came up there and told me that she had tried to live without me, that the BuffyBot wasn't ever a good substitute. She was coaxing me away from the ledge. Then the tower shook and I didn't want to leave, but I heard Dawn crying for me to help her. I did, we got down just in time."  
  
Buffy continued her story. She told him everything up to the very moment that they were at then.  
  
"And that's about the it!" Buffy got up and stretched. She looked outside and realized that dawn was coming and that she had been there all night, telling her story. " Oh God! Dawn, Willow, Xander, they must be worried sick about me! I really have to go! And besides, it must be bedtime for you."  
  
"Not at all. I do sleep, but I don't really have to."  
  
"What?"  
  
"No please go to your sister and your friends. You are right; they are probably worried about you. I will meet you back at Lafayette Cemetery at the same spot. We will continue our conversation tomorrow night."  
  
"Thank you. What time do you want me to meet you?"  
  
"Dusk. If you are not there I will come looking for you."  
  
"I'll be there. If I'm not, look for me at that little restaurant I told you about. We are planning on eating there tonight."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
"And tomorrow night, it's your turn. I want to know all about you!"  
  
"Of course. Tomorrow night then. Until then mon cherie." He bowed low and kissed her hand. She walked out and as soon as she hit the sidewalk, she was at a dead run back for the hotel.  
  
*Willow's gonna kill me! I can't tell her where I was, not yet.* 


	6. Falling

Chapter 6  
  
"Oh my God! Buffy where have you been?" Willow screamed. Buffy had just walked in and she was wearing the same clothes she had on the night before when they had last seen her. She was a little winded and not really up for the third degree that she knew was coming from her two best friends.  
  
"Oh, I was out all night! I, um, found this really cool, um, all night restaurant, and I, um, ran into, a friend, an old friend, and we talked all night. I told him everything that had been happening. Cause he knew that I am the slayer." Buffy answered quickly while she started to head towards her hotel room. "Is Dawn asleep? Cause if she is, you guys mind if I shower in here?"  
  
"Oh no you don't! Who was this old friend? You said it was a he, like an old boyfriend he?" the red head asked, her curiosity gaining momentum, even though she was a little pissed at her best bud.  
  
Buffy, wide-eyed, answered with a little uncertainty, "Pike!"  
  
"Pike? As in LA, before Sunnydale, Pike?"  
  
"Yeah. Hey guys where are your towels?"  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're just going to say 'Pike' and then ask me where the towels are?"  
  
"Yeah. What's so wrong with that? I am going to meet him at Lafayette tonight at dusk. Do you think we could eat a little early tonight? I wanna make it on time."  
  
Xander, who had kept quiet through the whole exchange, finally spoke up, "I want to meet him!"  
  
"What? Meet? You can't!" Buffy said a little unconvincingly.  
  
"Why not? He was a part of your past that you hardly ever talk about. I mean you never even told us that you had been in a mental institution before. And we are your best friends! So I ask again, why can't we meet him?"  
  
"Because." Buffy stated very plainly before she went into the bathroom, with her clothes and towels stacked in her arms, and shut the door locking it.  
  
"Ok, she keeps getting weirder and weirder! Are you sure she came back alright Wills?"  
  
"Of course she did! She's just being Buffy. She never talks about her LA days because, because, well actually, I can't think of a because."  
  
Suddenly the door opened to Buffy and Dawn's room opened and a very bouncy Dawn came hopping out of it.  
  
"Hi guys! Hey, where's Buffy?"  
  
"She's in the shower." Xander said.  
  
"Oh, cool! Are we going out today? What are we going to go see?"  
  
"Yes; I don't know. It all depends on what Buffy wants to do. She has to go meet Pike at dusk tonight." Willow jumped in.  
  
"Pike! Pike is here in New Orleans? Wow, I haven't seen him since we left LA! He writes to Buffy occasionally, but other than that, we never here from him."  
  
"Dawn, why doesn't Buffy ever talk much about her life in LA before you guys moved to Sunnydale?" Willow asked.  
  
"Um, she just never likes to, that's all. It was a really hard time for Buffy. You know how she is. Hey Buffy!"  
  
The blond had just stepped out of the steaming bathroom. She was fully dressed in black leather pants and a red spaghetti-strapped top. Her hair wasn't dry, but the way she moved, Xander guessed that Buffy was on her way to her bathroom to do just that.  
  
"Hey Dawnie. You slept in! That's a change. Did you have fun swimming?"  
  
"Yeah! Pike's in New Orleans? I wanna go see him with you! Please Buffy?"  
  
"Nope Dawn. You can't. Excuse me."  
  
"Why not?" Dawn asked blocking Buffy's path.  
  
"Just because. He wants it to be just me and him. Ok? Now move Dawn. Unless you don't want to go out today and buy those pastries we saw in that little French boulangerie."  
  
"Go on. I'll wait here." Dawn replied, stepping out of the slayer's way.  
  
About 30 minutes later, the four were walking around New Orleans and soon the missing slayer mystery was almost forgotten. They went through store after store, looking and sometimes buying little trinkets, old jewelry, clothes, and food that they could take back with them or eat while they were walking. When lunchtime came around, they stopped at a restaurant and café to eat. Xander, even though he had pretty much eaten everything that he had bought, ordered a plate full of more Cajun food. Buffy got a soup poulet (chicken soup, it's really good!) and a flaky, buttery croissant with a small latte. Dawn got crawfish, which to her surprise was actually good, and onion rings. Willow had the same as Buffy, but as an appetizer, she ordered escargot.  
  
"I have absolutely no clue why I bought this! I don't think I want to eat it! What if it is just playing possum and it's not dead?" Willow said staring at the cooked slug on her little fork.  
  
"Come on, Will! You can do it. You got off magic fine! I came back to life fine! You can eat a slug." Buffy laughed at the red head as she began to slowly inch the slug towards her mouth. At the last minute her friend threw her hand to her nose, plugged it, and snarffed down her escargot. The look on her face when she chewed it and swallowed was so priceless, that Buffy and the others started laughing so hard the other tables turned to look at the commotion. Buffy grabbed her purse and pulled out the camera with her slayer speed so that she wouldn't miss the photo op and took the picture of Willow with her I-just-ate-a-slug face! The look right after she gave Buffy was just as great as the first one had been that Buffy had to take a picture of that one to!  
  
"Hey Wills, slide one of them critters over here!" Xander laughed as he took the plate from Willow and snarffed a slug down.  
  
"God Xander, that was gross!" Buffy laughed even though she was a little disgusted by the display.  
  
"No it wasn't! I actually just ate a slug, and it was good! Now, who's got the water?" He said as his face contorted to an oh-God-I-actually-just- ate-a-slug look.  
  
They left the café about an hour later to go walking around. Dawn was fascinated with the beautiful carriages with their astounding horses and she begged Buffy to let them ride in one. After a while the others joined in Dawn's begging and Buffy was forced to ride in one, not that she hadn't wanted to, she was enjoying the sites just fine by walking.  
  
Four hours later dusk was drawing near and as the four were eating the last of their dinners, Buffy kept looking at her watch that she kept in her pocket, then back outside to the darkening sky.  
  
"Guys, I really need to go. Les… Pike is waiting. I'll see you guys in the morning. Dawn, be good. I love you."  
  
"Bye Buffy! Tell Pike I said hi."  
  
"Ok, I will. Bye guys." Then Buffy mouthed to Willow *watch her.*  
  
"Alright. Have fun Buffy." Willow hugged her friend and waved bye.  
  
"Hey Buff, don't die, again." Xander said as he hugged Buffy.  
  
"Haha, so very funny Xander. I'll try not to." She called back as she hurried for the door.  
  
1 Lafayette Cemetery  
  
Buffy stood there waiting and looking around for any sign of Lestat. At first she started to think that maybe he had forgotten their arrangement. Then she started to think that he was bored with her. *I mean after all, I read the books, so I kind of know what kind of guy he is, but damn! He wouldn't stand me up like this! Oh and look at that, I'm talking like it's a date!*  
  
"Do you want it to be a date?" the silky voice of Lestat asked behind her.  
  
Buffy turned with all her slayer speed and grace to look at the guy that was starting to steal her heart. "What?" she asked startled, then remembering the books, quickly recovered. "Right, that whole mind read thing. I hate that!" Off his look, she added, "Cause I remember what it is like. Only I couldn't control it. I had to eat the heart of the second demon just to cure it. Ok, I'll stop now." she said rather sheepishly.  
  
"No, that is perfectly fine. I like to hear you talk. You have a beautiful voice."  
  
"Oh, um, thanks. So where are we headed now? Back to your house, cause that would be cool. I like your house."  
  
"How was your dinner?" he asked calmly, obviously unfazed by her minor ranting.  
  
"What? Oh, it was good. I liked it. It's the first time that I've ever had genuine French food, or food closer to it. My mom used to take me to this little French restaurant in LA, before we moved to Sunnydale, every Sunday night. It was good, but nothing like the real thing." she realized that he was still listening to her, but his eyes had wondered down her body to her outfit. "You like?"  
  
"Excuse me?" he asked, startled that he had been caught looking.  
  
"My outfit! You like it? I noticed you were admiring it, or else you were turning into a hormone driven guy and you were checking out my bod."  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Yes, I do like your outfit. It is very, 21st century. I admire these clothes of this century."  
  
"You don't look to bad yourself." He was wearing a leather jacket and tight, dark jeans. She couldn't see the shirt as well because he had the jacket zipped up, but she could see a little bit of deep red silk peeking out at the top and unbuttoned enough to expose a little bit of his pale chest.  
  
"Thank you. As to your question, let's head into town. I would like to walk with you."  
  
"As long as you tell me a little more of your story, seeing as how I know some of it from the books."  
  
They started to walk, and before she realized it, her arm was through his as if they were old lovers. She was actually startling herself; she had never before been this bold with a guy. She was really opening up for the first time since that couple of days with Angel between Sunnydale and LA. She remembered those days fondly. She had cried so hard those couple of days, she had thought that she was going to cry herself into oblivion and never be able to return to her lover's arms.  
  
"Are you alright?" Lestat asked, breaking her somber train of thoughts.  
  
She looked up at him and realized that he was actually concerned about her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about, stuff. That's all, I'm back now."  
  
He smiled. Buffy found that she actually liked to see him smile, despite the small fangs that she could see. Actually she found them a tiny bit sexy.  
  
They had made it to the docks, she suddenly realized. *This isn't the best part of New Orleans, but hey, it's nice. I miss the smell of the ocean.*  
  
"That is why I brought you here, I thought that you might be little more comfortable. Besides, there is a tavern not far from here that we can talk at."  
  
"Oh, ok. That's going to take some getting used to!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That whole mind reading thing. And, my God! Can you believe me? I am talking like we are going to be together for a while."  
  
"We are. Just not eternity."  
  
"Never eternity," she replied somewhat bitterly.  
  
A silence fell between them, not an awkward silence, but a silence between two people who didn't really need words to communicate. They were two people, two lovers, two fighters who had been through their fare share of things: happy, sad, unbearable, heart wrenching, gut tearing, soul- destroying things. And yet they moved as if none of it had been true, neither of them were a vampire or a vampire slayer.  
  
Finally, they reached the little tavern, The Taverne Du Chat Noir.  
  
"Huh, the black cat."  
  
"You speak French?"  
  
"No, I took it for four years in high school. I did ok. At least I passed, and hey, I can read French! A little." she looked up at him and smiled as they walked to the back of the tavern to a private table that was obviously reserved for him.  
  
"This is nice. Um, do they have Diet Cokes here?"  
  
He laughed, and it was a beautiful sound, velvety laughter that made her fell safe. She liked it. And she could tell she was falling for, just as she had fallen for Riley. She can't compare Lestat to Riley though. She loved Riley somewhat still, but he had left her and he had gotten married and he was happy with Sam. She was a wonderful women and she deserved every bit of Riley. Then realization hit her, she was silently saying goodbye to the man she had fallen in love with her first year of college. She would always love him, but he didn't belong with her anymore, he didn't belong in her world anymore, just as Angel had said no more than two years ago that they didn't belong in each other's worlds anymore. Angel, her soul mate, was now one of her best friends she wanted so much more with and could never have. Not the way she, deep down, had always wanted ever since they had gotten back together all those years ago when he had returned from hell. Suddenly, there was a chill on her cheek and she realized that Lestat was wiping away a tear. She had been crying over her lost loves, and she hadn't even realized it.  
  
"Are you ok? I order you a Diet Coke and then turn back around and you are crying. Why?"  
  
"This is all new to me! I have never ever acted like this before. I just met you! I have told you my life story, and I just met you! But it all just feels right!"  
  
"That answered my first question, but not the second."  
  
"I was mourning lost loves. Saying goodbye to Riley. I was remembering Angel, my soul mate, my lover." she looked up away from the table and she blushed. "I am so sorry! I never act like this! I don't know why I am now. It's supposed to be your story night and I'm making it mine."  
  
"That is perfectly alright! And what you said before, that this feels right, I feel it to. And I am as astounded as you are. I just met you and already I want you to be mine. I think I am falling for you Buffy Summers." 


	7. Stalker

A/N Just to let you all know, this is a mix of the book, and the movie, "Queen of the Damned" There were a lot of aspects that I liked about both, so I decided to mix it up! And I didn't put this before, but you all know the drill, none of these characters are mine, blah, blah, blah. And thank you all for the reviews! Hi Netty!!!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Back at the restaurant  
  
"It's getting late, we should really take Dawn back to the hotel." Willow said.  
  
They had been sitting there for about ten minutes after Buffy had left. They had eaten their dessert and Willow and Xander had gotten coffee.  
  
"I don't really want to go back yet, but you two could." Xander said.  
  
"Alright. Dawn, you ready? We can go swimming when we get there."  
  
"I guess. I just really wish that Buffy would let me go see Pike. He was cool." Dawn sighed.  
  
"Bye girls. See you two later." Xander watched the two walk out.  
  
What he hadn't told them was that he was going to walk around to look for any sign of Buffy and Pike. Truthfully he didn't believe Buffy's story. He did believe that she was going out to meet a guy, but he sure as hell didn't believe that it was Pike. From what he knew of the guy, he liked to surf. Beach Boys don't stray to far from the California coasts.  
  
He walked out of he restaurant and started to head in the direction of Lafayette Cemetery. He remembered that Buffy said she was going to meet "Pike" there. If she wasn't there, then he would head back towards downtown and start looking there. One way or another, he was going to find Buffy and see who this guy she was meeting really was.  
  
After about 15 minutes, he had reached Lafayette and he didn't see Buffy at first. He started to walk towards the left corner of the wall when he saw the petite blond walk around the corner and glance at her watch. He was about to walk up to her and ask her what was up, but before he could make a move, a tall blond guy had walked up behind her. He said something and Buffy seemed a little startled at first, then Xander noticed her calm down as she turned around to look at Mystery Boy. This guy was defiantly not Pike. Pike, he imagined, would not wear an outfit like this guy was! But as he stared at the guy, Xander started to get a sense of recognition. *This guy looks awfully familiar!* He shrugged it off and turned to look at his friend again, but she and Mystery Guy were gone.  
  
"Shit." he whispered to himself and took off jogging in the direction that Buffy had just been standing. As soon as he rounded the corner, he spotted them. They were walking arm in arm and Buffy looked a bit dazed. What was this guy doing to his friend? Then it hit him like a freight train! This guy wasn't human! He was a vampire! Look at his skin, way too pale! But surely Buffy knew that this guy was a vamp! *She's the slayer for Christ's sake!*  
  
They had turned down a street and down towards Dock town, or so he thought. He had remembered the map that he had bought before they had come to New Orleans, and he was fairly certain that this guy was steering his best friends towards Dock town.  
  
When he looked back up at his friend, vampy guy was looking down at her and smiling. She seemed to snap out of her daze and smiled back up at him. This was defiantly getting weird! He had to get his slayer out of there! He started to jog to catch up to her, but they had disappeared into an old looking building. He read the sign overhead. "The Taverne Du Chat Noir" it read. He didn't know what it meant and he kind of wished he did. *Stupid French people, can't ever write anything in English so a simple California guy can read it!* he thought.  
  
He peeked through one of the windows to see them sitting down at a table in a far back corner. *That's it, I'm doing the James Bond thing!* He slipped through the door and sat down at a table facing the corner where his friend sat. There he could see her and vampy guy clearly, until a waiter came up and blocked his way.  
  
"What can I get you sir?"  
  
"Do you mind, I'm in cognito here!" off the waiter's look, he said, "Cherry Coke."  
  
The waiter walked off and Xander went back to watching his friend. She was staring at the table, and were those tears sliding down her cheek? Vampy guy reached over and wiped them away. She looked up and smiled weakly at him and then she wiped the rest of her tears away. She said something and that got him talking. He wished he knew what they were saying. It would make him feel a whole lot better! *Ok, maybe that's a lie, but I do wish I knew what they were saying.*  
  
They talked for a couple of minutes and Xander watched them intently, that is when Buffy didn't look up and around the place. She was the slayer; he should have known that she would know that someone was following her.  
  
Buffy was shocked! Lestat was confessing the same feelings she was having towards him!  
  
"Um, what did you say?" she asked. She knew what he had said, but she wanted to hear him say it again.  
  
"I said I think I'm falling for you." he answered.  
  
"That's what I thought you said! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!"  
  
"What? What is wrong?" he asked, reaching over to touch her trembling hand.  
  
"This can't work, it never works! To many vampires! It never works with me, they always leave! Always! And this time, I'm going to be the one to leave! I'm only here for five more days!"  
  
"Buffy, calm down! It's ok. I can move around. Besides, I've always wanted to live in California!"  
  
"What?" she asked startled. "Are we talking like permanent move? Like serious relationship talk? Because serious relationship and Buffy never go hand in and for to long!"  
  
"I understand this. But I have never felt this way about anyone before! Not even when I was with Akasha!"  
  
"You know, I once said that vampires without a soul can't love."  
  
"I have a soul! I'm a different breed of vampire! Buffy, I can walk in the sun! Akasha's blood made that possible for me. She, the queen of my kind, lived so long that not even the sun could hurt her!"  
  
Buffy looked up at him. She wanted this so much. She needed this. She needed someone that she actually loved and not someone she would use for sex!  
  
"Please, Buffy! Give me a chance don't push me away here!"  
  
"Oh, God!" Suddenly she got the feeling that she was being watched and she craned her neck to look around the tavern. She didn't see anyone, but she was sure that someone was following her.  
  
"What, what is the matter?"  
  
"I think someone is following me!"  
  
"Come, let us find out. And let us talk some more."  
  
They got up and walked towards the door and the nighttime outside.  
  
The waiter had just brought his Cherry Coke and as Xander was paying the man, Buffy and vampy guy walked by his table.  
  
"Keep the change!" he said as he jumped up threw a five dollar bill on the table.  
  
Lestat now knew that Buffy was right, they were being followed. They turned a corner and then into an ally between two old buildings. There they waited for their stalker to come to them.  
  
Xander ran out after Buffy. As soon as he hit the door, Buffy and vampy guy were rounding a corner. He ran to it and turned. They were gone! But how could that be? They had just turned the corner. He started to run until a hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat! 


	8. Explanations

Chapter 8  
  
"Xander!? What the hell are you doing?" Buffy yelled at her friend.  
  
"You know this guy?" Lestat asked confused, still holding on to the intruder's neck.  
  
"Yes, I do. But I'm not sure I want to know him right now! I wanna know what the hell he thinks he is doing by following us!" she said. "Put him down Lestat." Buffy added angrily.  
  
"Geez! Think you could get a tighter grip?" Xander asked rubbing his throat. "Wait did you say Lestat?"  
  
"Yes, I did! Lestat, Xander. Xander, Lestat. Now what the hell do you think you're doing?" the slayer glared at Xander with an ice-cold stare.  
  
"I was following you!"  
  
"I know that! Why?"  
  
"Because I didn't believe you! I didn't believe that you were going to meet Pike! I may be stupid Buffy, but I'm not stupid!"  
  
"You're not stupid Xander. Well not in the brainy way, but when it comes to following your best friend around who is the slayer, you are defiantly stupid there."  
  
"Well, I was also going to save you!"  
  
"Save me?"  
  
"Yes! He's a vampire Buffy! I thought you would know that, being the slayer and all!"  
  
"Xander, you can be the dumbest person I have ever met! I know he is a vampire! God! Do you think I'm stupid? I've been the slayer for seven years! I know who's a vamp and who's not!"  
  
"He's evil then!"  
  
"No I'm not!" Lestat jumped in.  
  
"You're a vampire, trust me here, you're evil." Xander replied.  
  
"Xander!" Buffy looked more agitated than he had ever seen her look before this.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come on! I'm going to straighten this all out with you, first we are going to go get Willow and Dawn and explain it to all of you at the same time so I don't have to explain it twice!"  
  
"Where are we going then?" he asked as he followed Buffy and *I can't believe this,* Lestat back towards town and the hotel.  
  
"My house." Lestat answered in all his French guy, I'm-a-vampire smoothness.  
  
"Oh, that's nice." Xander answered sarcastically.  
  
After they had gotten Willow and Dawn, they arrived at Lestat's house. Lestat went to get them some coffee. Buffy explained everything to her two best friends and her sister. She left out the part where Lestat and her were talking about him moving to California and having a relationship. She would explain that all later, right now they didn't need to know.  
  
"Do you guys have any questions, cause I am kind of tired?" Buffy asked. She WAS tired and she just wanted to sleep. She hadn't slept in two days and she was ready to hit the sack and sleep like the dead, no pun intended there.  
  
They all looked a little shocked and as Lestat walked back in, they looked at him star-struck. Buffy half expected one of them to hop up and ask for his autograph and was shocked when none of them did.  
  
"Guys!" she said with a mixture of agitation and weariness.  
  
They all looked over at her.  
  
"Go back to the hotel. Get some rest. I'll see you guys later, I wanna stay here and talk to Lestat. Ok?"  
  
"Buffy, don't you wanna come back with us, we'll wait." Dawn said.  
  
"Yeah, Buff. I don't mind." Willow agreed.  
  
"No, I'm going to stay here for a while, then I'll come back. If I don't, I'll find you later. Go on." Buffy answered, a touch of anger creeping into her voice.  
  
"Alright Buffy. Um, goodnight. Bye Lestat." Dawn said, she was so innocent despite all she'd been through in the past couple of years.  
  
"Goodbye." he answered.  
  
They all said their goodbyes to Buffy and reluctantly to Lestat. Once they had finally left, Buffy collapsed on the couch.  
  
"That was interesting." Lestat said calmly coming over and sitting down with Buffy.  
  
"It sure as hell was! I love Xander and all, but if he does that whole James Bond thing one more time, if something doesn't kill him, I'm going to!"  
  
"He does that often?"  
  
"Whenever he doesn't believe me or he wants to help me in some way. He did it when I went Texas Wooden Stake Massacre on a group of vampires that were running some sort of suck-your-blood-for-sexual-kicks brothel. I had caught Riley there and he told me he was leaving with the Initiative if I didn't give him a reason to stay. I told him that I hate ultimatums and I left him in the Magic Box training room. They vamps ambushed me and I dusted them quick. Then Xander came up because he had been following me, I told him to leave me alone and I went and hid in an old storage place. He followed me in and gave me a long speech about how I should make Riley stay. It worked and I went after Riley, but as you know, I was too late."  
  
"You have to admit that his intentions are good."  
  
"I do admit, but it does get agitating! Sometimes he gets in situations that I can barely get him out of, especially if that situation involves him and me nearly coming to blows. He also did that when he discovered Angel after he had come back. He followed Angel back to the mansion, and there he found us kissing. He told Giles and the rest of the gang and they 'intervened.'" It was for 'my own good' they said. God, you should have seen it! I could've taken his head off for spying on me!"  
  
"Shh, it's all over with now." Lestat said, gathering Buffy in his arms. She leaned her head on his shoulder. He could tell she was crying. She had been through so much. She hadn't deserved any of it. He shed a single blood tear for her.  
  
Buffy felt peaceful and she started to drift off into sleep. She felt a little bad that she was invading Lestat's house, but hey he was the one who pulled her into his arms. Oh, his arms! His arms were rock hard with nice muscles, yet they were so soft and loving. She had almost forgotten a touch like this. Angel had felt this way too. The coolness of his dead flesh had never bothered her, and it didn't bother her now. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.  
  
Lestat listened to her heart rate slow and her breathing fell into a steady silent rhythm. He scooped her up with all his vampire grace and silently took her into Claudia's old bedroom. He had had the bed fixed and restored to its original beauty that it had had when little Claudia had used it. Not to sleep in of course. No, she had used a coffin specially made for her. Now it was Buffy's bed. He laid her little sleeping form on the bed and bent over to move her hair out of her face. He gently kissed her forehead and covered her in a warm down comforter. He went and sat at a chair that was facing the bed. He had never had these feelings before. Sure he had loved before, but not like this. It was nice. Comforting even. *You're going soft Lestat!* he thought. He sat there and watched her sleep until the sun was nearly up. 


	9. Things Are Starting to Work Out

Chapter 9  
  
Buffy woke up with the sun shining in on the bed she was sleeping on. She sat up, smoothing her hair back, and looked around. The room she was in was beautiful. The bed she was in was huge and old looking, but it was more beautiful than the room. She looked over at the bedside table wanting to see what time it was, but there was no clock there. Instead there was a tray of food with a note lying by a single red rose. She picked up the note knowing full well who it was from and looked at its exquisite handwriting. She started to read:  
  
1 Dearest Buffy,  
  
I hope you had a peaceful sleep. When I left you this morning, you looked so beautiful and peaceful. I went out just before dawn to a boulangerie to get you breakfast. I didn't know what you liked, so I got one of everything. I remembered during your story the other night that you drank orange juice a lot in the mornings with your mother, so I had the baker make you some, freshly squeezed. I am in my room. I might be asleep, but please feel free to wake me before you go to your friends.  
  
Toujours mon amour,  
  
2 Lestat De Loincourt  
  
Buffy smiled at his letter and then looked at the tray. He sure did get one of everything! There were puff pastries, croissants, éclairs, and more food that Buffy didn't know the name of. That wasn't going to stop her from eating them though, it all looked wonderful.  
  
After she had taken a bite of everything on the tray, chugged down all of the orange juice, and made sure that there were no more croissants left, she got up and stretched. She was full now and figured that she had just put on about 20 pounds by eating all that food! *I should really get going; I have no idea what time it is. Should I wake Lestat up before I leave?* she thought before deciding to let him rest. After all he had let her rest, she should do the same for him. She looked at the foot of the bed and there sat a beautiful dress. She walked over to it and examined it closely. It was short, about to the knees short, with delicate embroidery around the collar and hemline at the bottom. The top dipped low, but not too low, and it was spaghetti strapped. The color was an off white while the embroidery was a mix of pink and purple. Beside the dress was a pair of platform sandals. They were cork and the strappings on them were an off white like the dress and wrapped around the ankle. Laying on the dress was another note.  
  
Dearest Buffy,  
  
I also took the liberty of buying you a new dress and shoes so you would not have to walk all the way back to your hotel in the clothes you wore yesterday and slept in last night. While you slept, I looked at your size on the shirt you are wearing and then I looked at you shoe size. Please forgive me for that, I had no idea what size you wear and that was the only way I could find out. If this offends you, tell me. Enjoy your outfit; I look forward to seeing you in it.  
  
Toujours mon amour,  
  
Lestat De Loincourt  
  
He was so modest and old fashioned! Angel was just like that. *Maybe that is because they are from the same century, duh!* She got changed into the dress and looked in the mirror, she looked killer, and the dress fit her perfectly! She put on her sandals and buckled them up. They took her up from 5'4" to a nice height of 5'7". She found a brush in her bag and went back to the mirror to fix her hair. She pulled the brush through a few times to make sure there were no tangles and then put the brush up. Now that she had gotten rid of her bed head and done her makeup, she looked astounding!  
  
She headed out of them room and stopped outside the door. She didn't want to wake Lestat up, but in a way she did. She wanted to thank him for everything and she also wanted him to be the first to her in her new dress and shoes. That will have to wait though. He's been kind enough, now it is my turn. I'll let him rest. She started to leave, but stopped and headed back to her room. She went to the desk and wrote Lestat a note thanking him and telling him that she would be back before dusk. She went to his door, folded the note, and slipped in quietly. She went to the coffin and ran her hands over the smooth surface. She felt a little uneasy. *Ok, get a grip Summers!* She laid the note on the little table beside the coffin and slipped out quietly. She headed out the front door and towards the hotel.  
  
When she got there, no one was there. She looked at the clock. 11:50, they would be out on the town, eating most likely. *Ok, so where did we decide to eat today?* she thought to herself. It took her a minute to remember, but as soon as she did, she took off and headed towards the restaurant.  
  
"Hey Buffy! How'd you find us?" Willow asked, looking at her friend's dress. "And where did you get that? Did you steal it?"  
  
"No! Lestat gave it to me! You like?" Buffy asked doing a little twirl before sitting down.  
  
"I likes a lot!" Willow said smiling.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait! He bought you a dress?" Xander asked, a little stunned.  
  
"Yes, and I have my own room at his place! It is so wonderful and beautiful." the slayer said dreamily.  
  
"He gave you a room? You didn't….you know, with him, did you?" Xander asked sounding a tad bit jealous, like he had when Buffy had been with Owen or Angel.  
  
"No! He was a perfect gentleman!" then to Willow, she said, "He bought me breakfast! He didn't know what I liked, so he bought one of everything at the boulangerie! It was all so good! And he got me fresh squeezed orange juice! And check out these shoes, Will! These had to of cost a fortune!"  
  
"That is so sweet. I think he likes you!" the red head giggled!  
  
"You think?" Xander said bitterly.  
  
"Hey, cheer up Xander. You have a lot of work to do with Anya, so concentrate on your love life and don't criticize mine!" Buffy shot at him.  
  
"You like him too?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yes! He is the sweetest guy! He's hotter than hot! And he likes me! He likes me! Did I mention that he is rich? Not that it matters! But I am defiantly feeling sparks here!" Buffy said beaming. "I have to go back to him at dusk, he was asleep when I left."  
  
"It's more like he owns you!" Xander said.  
  
"Xander!" Willow exclaimed, and then kicked him under the table.  
  
"Hey, what was that for? I was just saying, it seems like he owns her. Buffy, don't you see, you're his slave now!"  
  
"Xander I am not! It was my choice to go back, I left him a note saying I would! What's it to you?"  
  
"I'm just saying, I'm your best friend Buffy, and the last time you got involved with a vampire, it was BAD! As in he went homicidal and tried to kill us all!"  
  
"That won't happen again Xander! Lestat is different; he's not like Angel! He is a different breed of vampire. Besides, if he wanted to kill me he would have done it by now!"  
  
They went through lunch almost silent. Dawn hated it and she tried to strike up little conversations that went bust in less than a minute! When lunch was over, they went out and did a little shopping. Dawn, Willow, and Buffy wanted to go see a play, and Xander, being out-numbered and seeing it as a chance to sleep, went along with it. After the play was over, it was almost 6:00. Dawn and Xander were hungry so they went to a place that Buffy and Willow had seen on Style's Dining in Style called The Red Fish Grill. Xander got the barbecued-oyster po' boy, Buffy and Willow got the shrimp rémoulade napoleon, and Dawn got the hickory-grilled fish. The place was expensive! They sat there and talked for a while. Buffy was starting to get fidgety because dusk was pretty much here and she couldn't leave Xander, Willow, and Dawn. She was about to get up and call Lestat when he sat down beside her at the booth, blocking her path to the phone.  
  
"Oh! I was just going to call you! Hey wait, it's not dusk quite yet!" Buffy said startled.  
  
"I know, but I wanted to come find you for a change. Hello everyone." Lestat said as he followed Buffy while she slid back into the booth.  
  
"Hi Lestat." Dawn said, obviously trying to sound cool.  
  
"Hi! How are you?" Willow said in all her innocent charm.  
  
"I'm good. How are you?"  
  
"Very good! I love it here! This food is really good, but it is really expensive! Oh, is that Christian Slater?" Willow said starting to freak out.  
  
"Oh God, where Willow, where?" Buffy said trying to stand to look for the object of her pre-Sunnydale desires.  
  
"Never mind! It was just some guy that looked like him from the side. Sorry to get your hopes up Buff." Willow said sadly.  
  
"That's ok Wills, I'll get over it. But don't let it happen again!" Buffy said laughing.  
  
"Do you need help paying?" Lestat asked, starting to reach into his jacket.  
  
"Oh, no! Put you're money away, we've got it!" Buffy said pushing Lestat's hand away.  
  
"I insist! I want your stay here to be comfortable! Please, at least let me pay half."  
  
"Let him Buffy, after all, your job at the Doublemeat Palace can't exactly pay for this by itself." Xander said.  
  
"Xander! What the hell is wrong with you? Come on, I have to go to the bathroom." Willow said, grabbing his arm and tugging him out of the booth.  
  
"But I'm not a girl! I can't go in there with you!"  
  
"You can escort me there then! Come on!"  
  
"Well, that was interesting. Does he not like me?" Lestat asked turning back to Buffy.  
  
"The last vamp I dated, Angel, he didn't like. He is a little trust- conscious when it comes to me with vampires."  
  
"Oh. Dawn, would you like to see the New Orleans Museum of Art? Buffy tells me you like art." Lestat asked.  
  
"Would I? Of course! Wow Buffy, you sure know how to pick 'em!" Dawn said.  
  
"Where are we going?" Willow asked as she and Xander came back.  
  
"Lestat is going to take us to the New Orleans Museum of Art! Isn't that cool?" Dawn said enthusiastically.  
  
"Let's go then!" Willow said.  
  
"It will have to wait until tomorrow, the museum closes at 5:00. I promise, we will go tomorrow. But until then, come! I can show you around and take you on the best carriage in town!"  
  
They paid for their meal and then left. Buffy was holding Lestat's hand and walking behind the others. She was happy that this was starting to work out. They only had four more days left. 


	10. Revelations

A/N Ok guys, this is where it gets fun! This is also were I take Lestat and change a few things about his and all his vampire history, and scramble it all up in a few areas. I have a twisted mind and I like things to go my wacky way sometimes! Not giving anything away here. Thank you all for the reviews also! I want to thank Mel for all her support in this too. Thank You Mels!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The next few days passed quickly. Lestat was slowly being accepted into the small group, which made Buffy happy. They had one day left until the group had to leave. Buffy sat in her room at Lestat's house wondering how she was going to break it to the others that Lestat was coming with them back to Sunnydale. He was in the living room with the movers right now. He had gone to Sunnydale and picked out a beautiful mansion just down the road from Angel's old place. Boy wasn't that going to be interesting. She was excited and nervous about the whole thing, but why shouldn't she be? She liked the idea that Lestat had presented to her last night, but was a little uncomfortable about it too. During their regular talks, Lestat had brought up her job at the Doublemeat Palace. They had discussed her quitting and letting Lestat help her with everything. At first she had wanted to say no, but the more they talked about it, the more she liked the idea about quitting that awful place. She liked the idea of coming home at night after patrol and not smelling like icky grease and old hamburgers. She was giving it a lot of thought.  
  
"Buffy, are you ready to go?" Lestat came in and asked. They were supposed to meet Willow, Xander, and Dawn at The Red Fish Grill.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, right! Yeah, let's go! Wouldn't want to keep them waiting, now would we?" Buffy said brightly.  
  
They would have had to step over crates and movers with their ass-cracks hanging out of their pants just to make it to the door, but Lestat being the gentleman he is, lifted her up and FLEW her over everything! It was so fast though that the movers hadn't even seen them. *Now THAT was cool!* Buffy thought. Lestat just smiled at her.  
  
About 15 minutes later they were outside greeting her friends and headed for a booth in one of the nicest spots in the restaurant. They all had the same things as before and Lestat took little bites off of Buffy's shrimp rémoulade napoleon. All was going great, then came the moment Buffy had been dreading. She cleared her throat and everyone but Lestat looked at her.  
  
"Um, guys, Lestat and I have an announcement to make." she said, her voice quivering a little.  
  
"Oh my God Buffy! Are you two getting married? Congratulations! Hey, wait, you two have only known each other five days! That was quick!" Willow said, practically bouncing and bubbling in her seat.  
  
"No! We are not getting married!" Buffy exclaimed, and then took the plunge, "Lestat is going to move to Sunnydale. He will be on the flight home with us tomorrow."  
  
Xander practically chocked back his food! Willow had to whack him a couple of times on the back to get him to breath again. Dawn was looking a little shocked, yet ecstatically happy for her sister. Willow, well Buffy couldn't tell what Willow was thinking at the moment, which was defiantly a shock to Buffy because usually her best friend could never hide her feelings.  
  
"Say something!" Buffy said starting to panic.  
  
"Um, wow!" Willow said, then her face broke into a smile and she reached over to hug her best friend. "Congratulations Buffy! You really need this. I am happy for you, I really am!"  
  
"Yeah, Buffy! Congratulations! Hey, Lestat, welcome to the family of the weirdoes! You should fit right in!"  
  
"HA! Thank you Dawn!" Lestat said laughing.  
  
"Um, congratulations. I am happy for you." Xander said before he started to stuff food in his mouth.  
  
"Thank you Xander!" Buffy said.  
  
About an three hours later after they had ate and hit the town, they all went back to Lestat's house to just hang out in Buffy's room, seeing as how there wasn't much furniture left in the house.  
  
"What about this house, what will you do with it?" Willow asked.  
  
"I will keep it of course. I am leaving a few things here for Louis. He comes and goes through here. Actually I am surprised that you all haven't met him by now!" Lestat answered.  
  
"How will he know where you are going? Will you leave him a note?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I will."  
  
"Lestat, what about my bed? Will it stay here?" Buffy asked admiring her bed for the millionth time.  
  
"No, not if you want it. I will have it sent there as soon as I contact the movers again."  
  
"Dawn, don't you think it is getting a little late? Come on, time to go back to the hotel." Buffy said looking at her sister and best friends.  
  
"Hey, I'm not tired! I don't want to go anywhere just so you and your new boyfriend can boink!" Dawn shot back.  
  
"We are not going to boink! Dawn, go away! Xander what have you been teaching her?"  
  
"Hey, don't look at me! She figured out your game along time ago with Riley!" Xander shot back.  
  
Buffy was a little shocked that her sister knew all that. "Um, ok, see you all tomorrow! Bright and early, plane leaves at 11:00, gotta get there early! GO! Bye!" she said as she hustled them to the door.  
  
She shut the door and turned around to face Lestat sitting on her bed.  
  
"I'm really sorry about that. I mean, you can't and all. You said so yourself, in the books." Lestat had gotten up during the last couple of sentences and started to move towards her intently. She got a little weak in the knees, they felt like Jello! "Um, can you?"  
  
"I can, yes."  
  
"Then why did you say you couldn't? In the books, I-I mean?" She was up against the door with nowhere to go, but hey, that was kind of ok with her.  
  
"Huh, my lawyer said to say that to ease the pain for the fans and the readers who wanted to maybe molest me! Foolish really, but hey, I can."  
  
"Oh," she said a little breathless, "Wow. Um," she couldn't get anymore out. Lestat had his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. *Wow!* Buffy thought, as she opened up her mouth to allow him a deeper kiss.  
  
They stood there kissing for what seemed like an eternity before Buffy pulled away and pushed him playfully away. "You know, I'm still human, I do need oxygen."  
  
He laughed. "I know, I'm sorry. I was just a little drawn to you."  
  
"That's ok. We'll save that whole 'you can' thing for later. I want to wait a little while. Ok?"  
  
"Ok, I didn't mean to pry."  
  
"Oh, no, there was no prying there! It was pry free!" she looked at her watch, she had been right, it was getting late and they had to be up early to make the flight. "Hey, since your coffin's gone, where are you going to sleep?" she asked a little hopeful for an answer that would make her happy.  
  
"Hmm, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"  
  
"I say, right there." she said pointing to the bed a few feet away from where they were standing.  
  
"I'm alright with that!" he said leaning down and kissing her again.  
  
They changed into their nightclothes and settled in for the night.  
  
"You know, this is one of the first times in a while that I have slept at night in a bed." Lestat said as Buffy drifted off in his arms. "Good night mon chérie." 


	11. It's Good to be Home?

Chapter 11  
  
The flight home was long and boring. They played a Chevy Chase movie that, according to Buffy's rules of flying, was a no-no movie. She had slept most of the way and when she woke up to the sound of the fight attendant's voice, had stretched and dozed back off. She hadn't gotten much sleep because they landed less than 30 minutes later. When they had gotten back to Buffy's house and unpacked, Buffy had called Spike to see how the slaying had went.  
  
"Slayer, so nice to hear from you! Is this a booty call?" the vampire asked.  
  
"No, this is most certainly not! I was calling to see how the slaying went."  
  
"It was slaying, Buffy! How do you think it went?"  
  
"Punch, stake, poof?"  
  
"Exactly, now are you going to tell me how your trip was?"  
  
"No." With that she had hung up. Lestat had come into the kitchen and she smiled. "So, how do you like the house? I mean it isn't exactly a mansion that you're used to and all, but hey, its home."  
  
"I like it. It's perfect."  
  
"I grew up in it. Well, maybe not grew up as in getting bigger, but in a growing up emotionally way."  
  
"I understand. So what's upstairs?"  
  
"Oh, my room, Dawn's room, and Willow's room, which used to be my mom's room. After I died, Willow and Tara moved in to take care of Dawn. The BuffyBot used my room."  
  
"May I..?"  
  
"See it? Sure, I mean, you wouldn't be the first vampire up in my room."  
  
She took him upstairs and showed him everything. She pointed out all the significant parts of the house. She pointed at the stairs and told Lestat about Ted, the homicidal robot, and she pointed in her room and told him about after she had come back, the ghost-looking thing had attacked her there and she had beaded it there.  
  
After she had shown him the whole house and all its memorable spots, she took Lestat out and showed him Sunnydale. She showed him The Bronze, Sun Cinema, The Espresso Pump, The Magic Box, Weatherly Park, Hammersmith Park, the old Sunnydale High School, UC Sunnydale, Angel's old mansion near Lestat's new house, the place where she had died, a few spots where major battles had taken place, like the Master's old lair (or more like the entrance to it, Buffy refused to ever go back down there), some of the cemeteries, and then finally Restifield Cemetery where she had been buried. This also happened to be near Spike's place, but Buffy was having such a nice time with Lestat, she had forgotten all about Spike.  
  
"So, how do you like Sunnydale? Granted there isn't much, but hey, its home too."  
  
"It's a nice town."  
  
"There isn't much of a town. Cordelia once said that the good part of town was half a block from the bad part of town."  
  
"I like it because you like it."  
  
They had been walking around arm in arm all the way through town and they were still like this when they rounded a crypt wall and heard the familiar voice of Spike beside them.  
  
"Hello Slay…." He stopped his words when he saw Buffy's arm through some tall blond guys arm. He wasn't human that was for sure. "Who the bloody hell is this?"  
  
"Spike, I want you to meet Lestat de Loincourt."  
  
"Hello, nice to meet you. Buffy mentioned your name." Lestat reached out to shake his hand, but Spike didn't even look at him.  
  
"She MENTIONED my NAME! Did she now? That's funny; she never MENTIONED my name before. Usually she was more like, what's the word?, oh right, SCREAMING my name."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Spike! What the hell are you doing?" Buffy asked, her eyes getting wider at each sentence.  
  
"Oh nothing slayer, just reminding you where your real pleasure is at."  
  
"That's not funny! I told you I was just using you, that I didn't love you!"  
  
"And I told you I didn't care! I'll take you any way I can get you!"  
  
"Well, not anymore Spike. This is Lestat, my boyfriend!"  
  
"Your WHAT? Hey wait, Lestat? I know that name!"  
  
"That's right. He's just moved to Sunnydale."  
  
"Your that bloak in those books! Nice try pal, but Buffy here knows which vamps are rich, and you are a pitiful excuse for a Lestat!"  
  
"Excuse me? You're a pitiful excuse for a vampire! Your neutered, or so Buffy tells me. Some military guys stuck a chip in your brain and now you can't even harm a flower!"  
  
"You bloody well watch that, mate! I can bash your brain in! You ain't all that human yourself, now are you?"  
  
"Of course not, but I am a better vampire than you'll ever wish to be!"  
  
"You better take that back you bleedin sod!"  
  
"Guys!" Buffy screamed, but they hadn't even heard her. She had barley had time to get out of the way before Spike lunged at Lestat. 


	12. A New Home

Chapter 12  
  
"Spike NO!" Buffy screamed. The platinum blond haired vampire had rushed Lestat before she could react. Fortunately Lestat was way quicker than Spike and dodged out of the way right as Spike had lunged. Spike stopped and turned only to be greeted with a high kick to the face followed by the ground coming up fast to meet his head.  
  
"Bloody hell! What was that for?"  
  
"For trying to attack him! Who the hell do you think you are attacking Lestat like that? Ok, maybe there was no actual attack, seeing as how you didn't even come close to touching him!" Buffy answered, extremely pissed off.  
  
"Well, what the hell are you doing with him? I guess I was right about you after all."  
  
"Yeah, what's that?"  
  
"You do need a little demon in your man." This was answered by a harsh punch to his jaw. "Ow, would you bloody well stop hitting me slayer? It kind of hurts!"  
  
"Stop being an idiot and maybe I will!"  
  
At that Spike lunged at Buffy, trying to pin her down under him and show her who her real demon was, not some nancy boy vampire with a name like Lestat. He was too slow or this guy really was who he claimed to be, because he hadn't even made it off the ground before the other vampire was on him shoving his face into the dirt.  
  
"Would you stop trying to be so annoying and start trying to act like a decent vampire?" Lestat asked menacingly.  
  
"Lestat, let him up. He's too pitiful for words. My job would be so much easier if I had just staked him junior year!"  
  
"Well, why didn't you?"  
  
"I'm not to sure why I didn't. I'm not to sure why I don't just do it now. Maybe because all I feel for him is pity."  
  
"Want me to do it for you? I've never gotten to stake a vampire like him."  
  
"No, but…" Suddenly her words were cut off by a vampire that lunged at Buffy from the ground out of his grave. "you might just get the chance to though."  
  
Buffy sprung into action ducking and rolling out of the way before springing up behind the newborn vampire. He turned; looking a little confused because his pray was no longer in front of him. She kicked him in the chest with both feet and sprang back up from her hands in a back flip. The vamp landed on Spike and he turned to get a hold on Spike's arms so he could bite him.  
  
"Uh uh, no snacking on the already dead ones." Spike growled before morphing into his game face and brutally head butting the new vamp in his nose. The vamp scrambled back into Lestat's arms and Lestat turned him around to face Buffy.  
  
"Stake! Spike I need a stake!" Buffy screamed.  
  
"You're the bleedin slayer! Why didn't you bring one?"  
  
"Spike, NOW!"  
  
Spike threw her a stake and Buffy rammed the thing home making sure not to go through too far because she didn't know if Lestat could be killed by stakes or not. Buffy walked up and carefully brushed vamp dust off his clothes.  
  
"Are you ok?" she asked, gazing up into his eyes.  
  
"I am fine. Are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I do that every night. Sometimes it can be a lot more violent and there are more tricks in my slayer bag to be used," she laughed as she grabbed hold of his hand.  
  
"Hey! What about Spike here?" Spike called after the retreating forms.  
  
"Goodnight Spike!" Buffy yelled back.  
  
"So do you want me to walk you home?" she asked as soon as they had passed through the front gates of the cemetery.  
  
"If you insist. The movers should have everything set up in there by now. I chose the biggest room for you. It has colorful Mardi Gras masks decorating the walls and I put some porcelain dolls in there. I bought a few stuffed animals and had those put on shelves. There are also antique lamps on either side of your bed on old nightstands."  
  
"Sounds perfect to me," she said as they headed back towards Lestat's new home.  
  
They walked up the driveway towards the iron gate and opened it.  
  
"Close your eyes." Lestat said.  
  
"What?" Buffy replied a little scared. Less than a block away, she had had to send Angel to hell. She had used the very same words to Angel before kissing him and shoving a sword through his gut.  
  
"I have a surprise for you."  
  
"You're not going to shove a sword through me are you?"  
  
"No! Of course not! Why?"  
  
"Sorry, bad memories live about a block away. Alright, no biting and no swords." She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be led through, what she guessed, was a very immense house and up a staircase. She felt the heat of a fire to her left as soon as a door was opened. Lestat took his hands out of hers and took a few steps back.  
  
"Open your eyes."  
  
Buffy did, and as her vision cleared from her tightly closed eyes her jaw dropped. Before her was the biggest room she had ever seen filled with the most beautiful furniture and decorations she had ever seen. On one wall there were masks of purple, pink, white, and a multitude of other colors. There was even one that looked like a mask her father had bought in Spain and brought back for her. It had been broken in the move from LA to Sunnydale. "How?" she asked walking up and lightly touching the beautiful mask, scared that it would fall and break.  
  
"You described it to me and while you did, I got a perfect picture in your mind and I had a vampire friend of mine make a new one for you."  
  
"This, this is too much! You have gone out of your way and done all this, for me?"  
  
"Yes. I shouldn't have?"  
  
"No, no, you really shouldn't have. I don't deserve all this!"  
  
"On contraire, you deserve every bit of it."  
  
"No, I really don't!"  
  
"Mon dieu Buffy! Don't tell me what you do and don't deserve, let me be the judge of that! I am here to take care of you and make all your dreams come true. Look, on the bed."  
  
Buffy walked over to the bed and drew back the curtain. On the bed there was a letter from UC Sunnydale. She opened it and read:  
  
Dear Miss Summers,  
  
Welcome back to UC Sunnydale. We look forward to having you again for your sophomore year of the 2002-2003 school year. Your tuition has been fully paid for the next three years. Thank you for applying to UC Sunnydale and we will see you this fall.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Mrs. Debbie Longhertz  
  
Admissions Department  
  
Buffy folded the letter and looked up at Lestat with tears in her eyes.  
  
"You, you signed me back up to UC Sunnydale and paid my tuition for the next three years?"  
  
"Yes. You told me that when you applied a couple of months ago, you were rejected. You said that it would make you happy to go back to college and resume your life as it was before your mother…"  
  
"Died. You can say it. Thank you! Thank you so much Lestat! No one has ever been this good to me!"  
  
"I also called your work, The Doublemeat Palace, and had them switch you from full time to part time so you could spend more time with Dawn and your friends and when you start college, you will have more time for your classes."  
  
"Lestat! Thank you so so much!" she ran to him and jumped in his arms kissing wildly. Before either of them could stop themselves, they were on the bed, kissing each other all over. Lestat's shirt disappeared with a rip and soon Buffy's had to. They were headed over a bridge that Buffy had crossed before and was finally ready to cross over it again. It was a bridge that had never been crossed with Spike, but with Angel and Riley and now Lestat. Buffy smiled. 


	13. Welcome to LA

Chapter 13  
  
Buffy awoke the next morning feeling completely relaxed and blissful. She remembered where she was suddenly and expected to turn around and find no one there. She was wrong though; Lestat's arms were around her waist and under her head where she rested peacefully.  
  
"I know you're awake." he said.  
  
"I know it too. Mmm," she stretched, "that was fun."  
  
"Why did you expect me not to be there?"  
  
Hmm? Oh right, the mind thing. Um, well the first time I…you know…I woke up alone. It was the same the second time and then it almost was the third time."  
  
"Almost?"  
  
"Riley, when I woke up, he wasn't near me and I thought he was gone. With me, if the guy isn't there the next morning, he isn't staying, or he turns evil. You're not evil, are you?"  
  
"No." He kissed her hair and she relaxed back into him.  
  
"Good, because if you were I would have to stake you."  
  
"Wouldn't work."  
  
"It wouldn't?"  
  
"No, my kind is different. Remember? If you read Louis's book, then you read the truth."  
  
"I saw the movie. So it's true though? What he said? That stake, crosses, holy water, they have no effect on you?"  
  
"None what so ever."  
  
"Good, and bad. How am I gonna kill you if you ever turn evil?"  
  
"I won't."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Shh, no more of that talk."  
  
Suddenly the phone rang. This startled Buffy because she hadn't realized that he had had the phone hooked up yet. But who could be calling him? He reached over and picked up the antique phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Um, Lestat? Is Buffy there with you?" It was Dawn. How had she gotten the number?  
  
"Yes, hold on," he handed the phone to Buffy, "I left the number on the refrigerator before we left last night."  
  
"Oh! Hi Dawn."  
  
"Buffy? Where were you last night?"  
  
"I stayed with Lestat. You know, long night, of slayage. Don't you have school today?"  
  
"Yeah, I was calling to tell you that you're going to be late for work if you don't get home soon."  
  
"Work? Oh work! Crap! All right, I'll be there in a little while. Have fun at school Dawnie. I love you."  
  
"Love you too Buffy. And Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"It's school, I can't have fun."  
  
"I see your point there! Bye Dawn." She hung up the phone and started to get up, but Lestat had her in a tight grip and wasn't letting her go anywhere. "Hey, I gotta get to work!"  
  
"No, you don't. They gave you the day off. Although they do want to see you tomorrow afternoon to discuss your new schedule."  
  
"Oh, ok." She settled back into his embrace.  
  
"So, what are we going to do today?" Lestat asked.  
  
"Do you want to go to LA? You can see some of my old stomping grounds, and maybe you can meet Angel and Cordy."  
  
"Sounds good to me. Let's just lay here for a little while, ok?"  
  
"Alright, but only for an hour. I want to get there when the traffic goes down a little."  
  
"Mmmhmm." Lestat sighed contently.  
  
About an hour later, Buffy hopped out of bed and put on the clothes she had been wearing the night before. She turned and Lestat was putting on a pair of tight black jeans. He picked up a black turtleneck and slipped it on. He then ran a brush through his long and oh so lustrous blond hair.  
  
"Can we go by my house on the way there, cause I need a change of clothes." Buffy said, a little embarrassed that he looked so good and she looked, well, blah.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Buffy came down her stairs wearing brown suede-leather pants and an oversize black turtleneck. Her hair was brushed and she had done her makeup. To Lestat, she looked like a vision of an angel.  
  
"Hi." Buffy said.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes, are you?"  
  
"Let me get my purse and a couple of weapons that I wanted to give to Angel and then we can go."  
  
"All right by me."  
  
As soon as they got in the car, Buffy popped in Lestat's CD.  
  
"I didn't know you had this."  
  
"I bought it before we went to New Orleans. Your song 'Forsaken' had been stuck in my head for three or four days and I couldn't remember who it was by or any of the words. And when we were going to LA to go to the airport, I heard the song on the radio and I realized what the song was. So, I bought the CD. It's good! You should consider going back in the biz."  
  
"No, I won't do that again! Look what happened the first time! The male population of the world has gone down! I don't want that to happen again!"  
  
"No, of course not."  
  
They sat not talking for about an hour listening to Lestat's CD. All of a sudden Buffy spoke up:  
  
"What's it like?"  
  
"What's what like?"  
  
"Being the kind of vampire you are? I mean, in a way I know what it is like, I was dating one for a while. But Angel isn't like your kind of vampire. What's it like for you?"  
  
"Lonesome! Fun, scary, nerve shattering, maddening, would you like me to go on?"  
  
"No, what was it like? To drink from Akasha and see all those things and feel all those things that you described in your book?  
  
"Buffy,"  
  
"All right, fine, I get it. You don't want to talk about it. Someday though, you will have to and I want to be the one you tell it to. You know, if I'm still around when you decide to."  
  
"You have my word."  
  
They went back to silence, except for the CD, which had started over again. They were on the outskirts of LA and Buffy was getting a little anxious about seeing Angel. She hadn't seen him since those days with him between Sunnydale and LA. She had talked to him though. He was miserable! She had loved Conner as much as he had. Even though she hadn't even met Conner, the way Angel described him and when Angel would bring him to the phone and tell Conner that it was his Step-mommy Buffy on the phone, she felt such love for both of them that she had thought her would burst. When she got the news that Conner had been taken, Buffy had been grief stricken. She had cried for hours, not able to tell anyone why she was crying because every time she tried, more sobs would burst through her mouth and she would cry harder.  
  
Buffy looked up and saw that they were parked outside the Hyperion. There was Angel's car. So, he was here. *Good, we need each other right now. I need to talk to him.* She had walked up the steps with Lestat right behind her. Before she opened the doors though, she turned to Lestat.  
  
"Lestat, do you mind waiting outside for a few minutes? Angel and I need to talk. Then I will take you in and introduce you to the vampire that I fell in love with."  
  
"Anything."  
  
Buffy opened the door. She already knew everyone because Angel had introduced them on the phone and had shown her pictures of them all.  
  
"Buffy?" she heard Cordelia cry as the brunette walked out of an inner office.  
  
"Hi." Buffy said a little startled.  
  
"Hey girl! Nice to finally meet you in person!" the tall black guy said as he walked up to her.  
  
"You must be Gunn."  
  
"That's me, and this here is Fred." Gunn said pointing to a girl sitting on the round couch with long brown hair.  
  
Cordy had run up to her and thrown her into a tight embrace. Buffy was a little thrown by this because the old Queen C had never shown her affection like this before. When they broke the hug, Cordy turned and pointed to a hot guy that kind of looked like Angel, on a chair. He had been sharpening a sword when she had walked in.  
  
"Buffy, that's Gru! My boyfriend!"  
  
"Hi." Buffy said with a little wave.  
  
"Hello, nice to meet you. I hear about you often around here. I was beginning to think you were a myth." Gru said.  
  
Buffy hadn't heard that last part because in front of her on the steps off to her right Angel had appeared. They made eye contact and before they both knew what they were doing, they were in the middle of the room hugging so tightly that if either of them had been remotely human, they both would have been crushed to death.  
  
"Hi Angel"  
  
"Hi Buffy. God it's great to see you. You look extraordinary!"  
  
"I wish I could say the same about you. Angel, you look like hell ran you over a few times with a giant freight train."  
  
"Thank you. Finally someone who will give me the truth."  
  
They broke the hug and Buffy stepped away.  
  
"Guys, there is someone I want you to meet. Where's Wesley?"  
  
They all got a little uncomfortable at this last question.  
  
"Um, we don't know. Last we saw him, he was kidnapping Conner." Gunn said.  
  
"What?" Buffy looked astonished. How could a guy like Wesley do something like that to one of his best friends?  
  
"Yeah! We haven't heard from him." Gunn replied.  
  
"You said there was someone you wanted us to meet." Cordy said, obviously changing subjects.  
  
"Oh, right! I hate to do this now after what you just told me."  
  
"Go ahead, it's fine." Angel said, looking down at her with that same love he had always looked at her with.  
  
"Ok." She ran to the door and stuck her head out. When she came back in, a tall blond guy that Angel recognized as Lestat, was following her in.  
  
"Lestat?" Angel exclaimed.  
  
"Angelus?" 


	14. The Old and the New

A/N Sorry it took me so long o get this chapter up, I had a million things to do this weekend and AOL is messing up. Sorry if it is a little lame, I'm kind of tired from that sleepover (remind me never to stay up that late ever again Lynette!). Anyways, enjoy! I'll have the next chapters coming soon. Keep the reviews coming. I appreciate all your suggestions.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Ok, huh?" Buffy said looking back and forth between her ex and previous boyfriends.  
  
"Whoa feel the tension in here!" a green demon that Buffy figured was Lorne walked in from the garden and stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
"You two know each other?"  
  
"Buffy, why didn't you tell me that Angel was Angelus?" Lestat asked looking just as confused as she guessed she looked.  
  
"I did. Well, I never said Angelus, but I thought you would get it when I said Angel went bad, the scourge of Europe. I thought that you would get it."  
  
"Buffy, how do you know Lestat?" Angel asked coming a little closer to the two on his hotel doorstep.  
  
"Ok, hold on! Can we talk somewhere that is a where away from here?" Buffy asked  
  
"HEY! What about us, we want to know this too." Cordy exclaimed then looked at Lestat, "Do you mean Lestat as in Anne Rice's Lestat?"  
  
"Yeah, only Anne Rice is Lestat. Well, his pen name anyway." Buffy said.  
  
"Cordy, hold down the fort. Buffy, come with me. We need to talk." Angel said, walking towards the stairs.  
  
"What about…?"  
  
"Bring him too."  
  
Angel led Buffy and Lestat up to his newer room. He had chosen a room that was fairly similar to his old, since his old one burnt down and all. He sat on the couch next to Buffy acting a little protective towards the girl who still owned his heart.  
  
"All right Buffy, first you explain how you met him and why he's with you."  
  
"Met in New Orleans on vacation, talked, hit it off, talked some more, hit it off some more, he met my friends, they hit it off too, we hung out more and more, Lestat moved to Sunnydale, and we are dating. That's about the it, your turn!" she replied without a breath and so fast that Angel had almost not caught that last part.  
  
"Dating?" he said with a hint of jealousy, then he felt stupid that he had said it that away. Buffy probably didn't want him, like he has always wanted her, anymore. She had obviously moved on with Riley.  
  
"Yeah. Angel are you ok?" Buffy said scooting closer and taking his face, very concerned for her soul mate.  
  
"I'm fine, but dating Buffy? How, how long?"  
  
"A couple of days now."  
  
"I meant how long have you known him?"  
  
"A week and a couple of days now."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Hey, I fell in love with you in less time, so don't 'wow' me." She smiled and Angel felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He noticed that her smile had dimmed. He hadn't noticed it the last time he had seen her.  
  
"I know. It took me one glance."  
  
Lestat cleared his throat.  
  
"Oh! Hey, you took us off topic! It's your turn buddy! Explain how you two know each other. And Lestat, you help."  
  
"Ok, here it goes."  
  
Alexandria 1789  
  
"I've always wanted to come to Egypt!" Angelus exclaimed.  
  
"Well now we're here and you can roam around to your black heart's content." Darla said.  
  
"I look forward to it darlin'."  
  
"Let's go find s nice Egyptian victim, shall we? I am getting a little hungry. I hate traveling on those dreadful boats!"  
  
"Anything for you my dark beauty. I hear that there is a vampire who travels the world as a mortal that was supposedly spotted right here in this very town! How do you like that? If I see him, I'm going to show him a thing or two about being a vampire that he'll never forget."  
  
"Angelus, calm yourself. That's just a myth. Look, there is a nice tavern where we can get a little something to drink."  
  
"Oh, a thief! I love those, they taste so much better than the innocents!"  
  
The two walked in and scanned the area. They were dressed much better than those that were occupying the place. That is all except one. Angelus could sense that he was a vampire. Hell, maybe they had gotten lucky and found the bastard vampire who wanted to be a human.  
  
"Look Darla, another vampire. Let's go see if he wants to play!"  
  
"No, Angelus! I am sensing something different about him. Maybe he is one of the others."  
  
"One of the others? Darlin', you are talking crazy. Maybe traveling on those ships are bad for you!"  
  
"No, I'm not crazy! Sit Angelus." They sat at a little table that faced the other vampire. "I've heard tales of vampires who are different from our kind. Apparently they have souls that are bound to them and they do not have a face like ours. I've been told that stakes, crosses, holy water, and all of the other things that harm us, have no effect on them. They can read minds."  
  
"Fairy tales my dear! Come, let us greet him!" Angelus got up and sauntered over to the vampire. "Hello there! My companion here says that you are some sort of vampire with a soul! Preposterous, isn't it? Come, tell us your name."  
  
"Why should I tell you my name?" the vampire asked.  
  
"Well then, you don't have to be gettin' rude with us now!"  
  
"Go away, I am hunting."  
  
"As are we. May we join you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Come Darla, we have found us a new table to sit at."  
  
"I didn't invite you to sit here. Why are you trying to cause trouble with me? Do you want me to rip your head off and drink your blood dry?"  
  
"You're French." Darla popped in.  
  
"I have been all my life. Now go away."  
  
"You'll not be getting' rid of us that easy." Angelus said calmly.  
  
Just then the vampire got up and pinned him to the wall so fast that Angelus hadn't had time to blink. He fought back, but it was in vain because this vampire was stronger than he was.  
  
"I told you to leave! Why do you bother me after I have threatened you?"  
  
"I was just lookin' to make a new friend in you, that's all."  
  
"Well I don't need any new friends."  
  
The vampire let go of Angelus and stalked outside. Angelus, hating to have his ego crushed like that and then left, followed suit after him. As soon as he got out though, a cutthroat was on him trying to slit his throat. Angelus laughed at the man's feeble attempts and grabbed the man's arm. He twisted in one violent gesture and shattered the man's forearm. While the man was still screaming, Angelus morphed into game face and sunk his teeth in the man's artery. He drained him quick and dropped the body. He loved the viciousness of his kills and stood there to savor his work. Just then the vampire came out of the shadows gawking at him.  
  
"Now surely you can't tell me that you have never done that before!" Angelus said to the vampire without looking up at him.  
  
"Oh no, I have done that plenty of times since I was born into darkness, but your face! What is wrong with your face?"  
  
"You can't tell me that you are a vampire if you do not have a face as pretty as mine!" Angelus said, turning to the vampire with his game face on.  
  
"I am a vampire, but you are a demon! A demon trying to impersonate a vampire."  
  
"Then it must be true! What Darla here was explainin' to me just a few minutes ago, it must be true then. You are obviously a vampire, I believe you on that, but what kind?"  
  
"There is more than just one kind?"  
  
"Apparently so." Angelus started to circle the vampire. "A vampire with a soul bound to him for all eternity. A vampire that is not harmed by crosses, holy water, or a stake made of wood. I've been a vampire for 36 years now and never have I heard or seen a vampire such as you. This is very interesting, in a boring sort of way! Tell me friend, have you ran up against a slayer?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A slayer. One little girl chosen to fight vampires and anything else that pops up from the dark pits of hell. You've never heard of her?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ah, then you must watch yourself. She is a tricky one, that slayer. I've only run up against one in my time, but I got away thanks to my black beauty Darla here."  
  
"Fantasies. I must go now. I have a companion who is waiting for me. If we ever meet again, I might tell you more, or I might rip your head from your shoulders. Au revoir."  
  
"Before you go then, tell us your name so that we may know it the next time we meet. I would like to know the name of the one who thinks he can defeat Angelus."  
  
"I am the vampire Lestat." With that he was gone into the night.  
  
"…and Darla and I were left standing there in our thoughts of confusion, staring after the vampire who had baffled us so completely." Angel finished.  
  
"Not long after that meeting I went into the earth only to be found by Marius and taken away to meet Akasha and Enkil." Lestat added.  
  
"Wow," Buffy said looking from one vampire to the other. "Who would have thought that I would have a connection of boyfriends like this?"  
  
"Are you ok?" Angel asked, placing his hand on her back.  
  
"Yeah, I'm good. It's just really weird, but hey, what's not these days huh?"  
  
None of them could figure out anything to say at this point. They all sat there staring at the carpet and then from one to the other. After about three minutes of sitting there they heard a shuffle outside and then a 'SHH' that sounds like Cordelia. Angel got up and walked to the door silently to keep the element of surprise. He opened he door and a pile of bodies belonging to Cordy, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne, fell at his feet. 


	15. LA

Chapter 15  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Angel asked glaring at his friends.  
  
"Um, checking out the….carpet?" Cordy said brushing her fingers through the hallway carpet. "Yup, see, nice and soft! I told you guys that it was a soft carpet, it didn't need a, um, steaming."  
  
"Get up." Angel said.  
  
"Hi." Cordy said looking at Lestat and Buffy.  
  
"Hi." Lestat answered back. Buffy stayed silent, she looked like she was in a daze.  
  
"Angel! What did you do to her? Hasn't she been through enough?" Cordy said walking over to Buffy. She sat down next to Buffy and touched her shoulder. Buffy looked up, a little stunned, and snapped out of her daze.  
  
"Cordy, are you ok?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"You're being nice to me. It's not like you. Are you sick?"  
  
"No! Just concerned for my good friend."  
  
"When did I become your good friend? If you remember correctly, you hated me in high school."  
  
"I did, but hey people change Buffy. You should know that. I feel sorry for you because of all you've been through in the last year or so."  
  
"Well, don't! I hate it when people feel sorry for me. Willow felt sorry for me, Xander felt sorry for me, they all feel sorry for me. I don't need anyone to be sorry! I need them to be them. Cordy, you of all people I thought I could trust to stay Cordy and treat Buffy like you used to. I was hoping that you would. That was one point of this little trip to LA. I wanted someone to be honest with me, someone other than Angel. He's always been honest with me. Cordy, be Cordy. Tell me exactly what you think, like you used to."  
  
"Buffy, I can't. I do feel sorry for you! But there is no way that I can be like I was to you in high school. Things are different now. We all grew up."  
  
"Buffy, are you ok?" Angel asked concerned.  
  
"No! I, I…Angel help me! I can't take this! I can't take them all feeling sorry for me! Spike was the only one who didn't feel sorry for me, and look what I did with him!" she realized what she had just said as everyone stared at her. Angel looked a little hurt, Lestat looked stunned, Cordy went pale, the rest just kind of stood there because they didn't really know Spike. "Oh God!" Buffy ran out and down the stairs then out into the garden. She knew Angel had followed her because she knew whenever he was near her. "You hate me now don't you. You hate me now because you know what I did with Spike!"  
  
He pulled her into his embrace, "I don't hate you Buffy, I can never hate you. I don't really agree with what you did with Spike, but I don't hate you for it. Hell, I approve of Lestat more than Spike, but I don't hate you."  
  
"I'm disgusted with myself Angel! I can't even look at him without hating myself for it."  
  
"Buffy, no…"  
  
"Angel, I'm sorry about that. I mean one minute I'm fine then the next I'm confessing something that only Spike and I knew. I have the shortest temper." She smiled sadly.  
  
"Shh, I don't blame you. If I were in your place, I would have been the same. I tell you that I met Lestat once, and we really didn't get along that well, I expect a small outburst like that. Ok, maybe not like the one we ended up with, but an outburst."  
  
Buffy laughed and smiled her dimmed smile. They turned at the sound of a throat being cleared and looked at Lestat.  
  
"Oh, Lestat! I'm sorry!" Buffy said standing up from the little bench her and Angel were standing at.  
  
"It's ok. Cordelia is in shock I think. She is still standing there staring at the space you were at a minute ago."  
  
Angel and Buffy chuckled and Lestat started towards them.  
  
"So, does this mean I'm a rebound boyfriend?" Lestat asked.  
  
"No! Oh God, no! I like you Lestat. I like you a lot. I can relate to you. I didn't mean to say it like I did. I imagined when I told you, all of you, about Spike and I, it was little different from the way it happened. Actually, a lot different." Buffy said. "Angel, do you want to go for a coffee. The sun is going to be down soon."  
  
"Sure. I need to get out. It's been a while."  
  
As they headed in Buffy grabbed Angel's arm and stopped him. Lestat walked in and Angel turned to Buffy. She stood on tiptoe and kissed lightly on the lips.  
  
"What was that for?" he asked.  
  
"Thank you. You've always been there for me, no matter what. Even though I'm with Lestat, I still belong to you. I'm still your girl. Always."  
  
"Always."  
  
They walked in and Angel grabbed his coat. A few minutes later, they all had coffee from Starbucks and they were driving around LA showing Lestat all of Buffy's old stomping grounds. Angel and her were talking about their experiences in the City of Angels and when Buffy told a story about her old slaying life, Angel would pop in and correct her on things. After all, he was in her life in LA also, even though she hadn't known it at the time. They did this for three hours. Angel pointed out where his son had been born and where he had lost his son at. Buffy missed Conner, she loved the little guy. Buffy looked at her watch suddenly and said, "Lestat, we need to get back! Dawn, she must be worried about us."  
  
"We left her a note."  
  
"I know, but it's Tuesday, we have a family thing on Tuesdays!"  
  
"All right."  
  
"I'm sorry Angel."  
  
"It's ok, I understand the value of family. Just drop me off at the Hyperion and then take the freeway just about a mile away from here. It's faster because it isn't as clogged as most LA freeways."  
  
They arrived at the Hyperion and Buffy walked Angel to his doors. She gave his hand a squeeze and kissed him on the cheek lightly.  
  
"I'll talk to you later?" she asked.  
  
"As always."  
  
Buffy hurried to the car after Angel had gone in. Soon they were speeding back to Sunnydale. 


	16. Search Party

Chapter 16  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy called up the stairs as soon as she and Lestat walked through the door. "Willow! Is anybody home?"  
  
They walked into the kitchen and looked at the refrigerator notepad to see if there was a note on it. It was the same note that Buffy had left earlier. She sighed, getting a little nervous, and walked up the stairs and knocked on Dawn's door. No answer. She opened the door and peeked in to see if her sister was asleep, but there was no one on the bed and everything was in its place. Buffy tried Willow's room next, sometimes Willow and Dawn hang out in there watching TV or doing homework. No one in there either. The room was just like it was when Buffy had been there that morning. This was defiantly getting weird. She headed back downstairs after checking her room.  
  
"There's no one here. Everything is just like it was when we left here this morning." Buffy said looking around a little panicky.  
  
"I'm sure it's ok. We'll go look for them." Lestat said placing a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, maybe because we weren't here, they decided to go out. Maybe they are at the Magic Box talking with Xander. He likes to hang out in there, even though Anya hasn't been heard from in a while."  
  
"All right, let's try there first."  
  
They went to the Magic Box, but the lights were out and everything was locked up. They headed towards the Sun Cinema and then to the Espresso Pump. No one they knew there. Buffy suggested they check Xander's house. They went there and knocked on the door. After the second round of knocking, Xander opened the door.  
  
"Hey Xand, have you seen Dawn and Willow? They're not at the house, or anywhere else for that matter." Buffy asked.  
  
"They called here a little while ago, but they didn't say if they going anywhere." Xander replied opening the door and motioning for them to come in.  
  
"Xander, this isn't like them, especially Willow. They would leave a note, but there was only the same note that I had left this morning."  
  
"Calm down Buff, we'll find them. Let me get my jacket and I'll help you guys look for them. Buffy, why don't you call the house and see if they are there now?"  
  
"Right." Buffy headed towards the phone and dialed her number. She waited until the answering machine picked up before she hung up the phone. "No answer." she said to Xander as he walked out of his bedroom.  
  
"Ok, where all have you tried?" he asked.  
  
"We tried the Magic Box, Sun Cinema, the Espresso Pump, and then we came here."  
  
"Ok, they narrowed down my list a whole big bunch."  
  
"I wanted to try all the usual places."  
  
"The Bronze!" Lestat said suddenly. They both looked at him stunned. "Buffy, you said that that's where you and your friends usually hang out."  
  
"Hey and they are having a DJ night tonight, so no entry fee. Let's go." Xander said.  
  
They hurried over to the Bronze and ran in.  
  
"Ok, split up. I'll get upstairs, Lestat you take around over there by the bar, and Xander check the dance floor and our usual tables. Meet right back here by the door when you're done looking."  
  
"Right, ok." Xander said.  
  
They all went to their assigned spots and started searching. Buffy scanned the place for Willow and Dawn. She saw a red head, but as soon as she had looked up, Buffy knew that it wasn't Willow. She stayed up there until she saw Xander and Lestat standing over by the door.  
  
"No luck?" she asked when she walked up. They both shook their heads. "Ok, we split up. Xander, take Lestat and look everywhere that you can think of that Willow and Dawn might go. I'm going to go see if they went to Spike's crypt. If not, I'll take Spike and see if we have any luck looking around dock town." She looked at Lestat apologizingly. "Don't worry, I'll be good," she muttered under her breath so only he could hear her.  
  
Buffy knocked on Spike's door and waited for him to answer.  
  
"Well, well, well Slayer! Come to reconcile and have a little go?"  
  
"Spike, are Willow and Dawn here?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"I can't find them anywhere."  
  
"Willow's not doing magic again is she?"  
  
"No, at least I'm pretty sure it's a no."  
  
"Maybe little bits ran off and Red's off looking for her."  
  
"Spike, just put a shirt on and come help me find them."  
  
He opened the door wider and stood back for her to come in. She obliged and walked in. She sat down on the arm of his recliner and waited for him to get his shirt and coat on. The place looked a lot better since the last time she had been in here. *Which was when Riley had blown it up, so ok, a lot better for a crypt that was blown up not too long ago.*  
  
"So luv, where all have you checked for Red and Little Bits?" Spike asked.  
  
"Um, the house, then Lestat and I went to the Magic Box, the Espresso Pump, the Sun Cinema, then we went to Xander's and got him, then we looked at the Bronze."  
  
"No luck then?"  
  
"That's why I'm here."  
  
They left the crypt and headed towards dock town. It was a longer walk than Buffy had remembered, but she hadn't actually walked to dock town from Spike's crypt, which was about a mile or two out of the way from the old high school.  
  
"So, how've you been? Have a nice trip?"  
  
"Good on both accounts."  
  
"Sorry about last time we saw each other luv. I was a little jelous there."  
  
"Apology accepted, event recorded and never forgotten."  
  
"Would you mind trying to act like nice Buffy for just once with me?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I'm a person too!"  
  
"No, Spike, you're a vampire, not a person. I told you that I didn't love you and that I was just using you!"  
  
"Do you remember what I told you the night you died?"  
  
"Sort of. Refresh my memory."  
  
"I said that I was a monster, but you treat me like a man. Now all you see in me anymore is a monster slash man. I'm gettin' a little tired of it slayer!"  
  
"Get over it. Dawn! Willow!" Buffy called, they were near a park that Dawn liked to go to.  
  
"Stop blowing me off like this for once and listen to me!" He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "I love you Buffy! And I don't care how many vampires or humans or even demons, if that gets your jollies off, you sleep with or date! When we were together, you felt something. That's why you're here now instead of Boy Wonder. You probably sent Lestat off with Boy Wonder."  
  
"So what if I did, what's it to you? I have a boyfriend now, one that I like and won't use for sex. You want to know what I really felt when I was with you?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"An orgasm! That's what I felt, because we were having sex!"  
  
"Yeah, but at least admit they were good orgasms!"  
  
"Of course they were, what or…. you know what? Why are we even talking about this? This is just disgusting!"  
  
"Yeah, but you didn't think it was disgusting when you were screaming my name, now did you?"  
  
"Spike! God, I can't believe…" Suddenly a very large vampire jumped out at them. It had greasy dread locks almost hidden under a really grimy bandana. It had on a worn leather jacket and torn jean pants. "…that this guy looks like he hasn't taken a bath in a hundred years!"  
  
"So, do you see anything, or possibly smell anything?" Xander asked.  
  
"Not yet. I'm trying to reach out and read their minds, but they must be cloaked somehow because I'm not picking up anything." Lestat replied. They had been walking for a while now, Xander didn't even know how long because he had left his watch at home. They had searched all the way through downtown with no luck. They had run into Amy thinking maybe she would know where Willow might be, but that was a bust, Amy had just gotten back from Rack's obviously.  
  
Suddenly Lestat looked up. "Buffy!" he said as he took off running.  
  
"Buffy, what about her?" Xander asked trying to catch up to Lestat.  
  
"She's in trouble. I read her mind. A vampire is attacking her."  
  
"Oh, she can take care of that."  
  
"What she doesn't know is that there are about ten other vampires hiding around the place waiting to ambush her."  
  
"Oh, that's not good!" Xander said redoubling his efforts to catch up to Lestat. 


	17. Ambushes, Revelations, and Torture, OH M...

Chapter 17  
  
Buffy ducked out of the way when the vampire sprang at her, its hands curled into claws. The thing turned around and started after her again, fists raised and ready to go one on two against the slayer and her companion. Buffy was ready for him though and so was Spike. When the vamp lunged again Buffy dodged and pushed it into Spike who then in turn punched the vamp and demolished its nose. The vamp made an unearthly wailing noise and sank to its knees. Buffy pulled out a stake and rammed the thing home through the vamp's back.  
  
"Well, that was easy!" Buffy said a little disappointed that it hadn't been a better fight. She dusted her pants off and turned to look at Spike when she heard her name being called by two different male voices. She turned around again to see where the voices were coming from but was met with a hard fist, filled with rings on every finger, to her chin. "OW!" she cried as she flew up and backwards.  
  
"Buffy!" Spike said springing into action and hurling the vampire away from her. When Spike pulled her to her feet there were about nine or ten vampires surrounding them. She still heard her name from somewhere nearby but was too distracted by the ambush to answer back.  
  
"Spike, I don't like this. There's too many for just us to handle. I don't have anything but my cross necklace and Mr. Pointy."  
  
"Don't worry, I've got your back."  
  
"Oh yeah, that's comforting!"  
  
"Buffy!" came the voices again, this time in unison, followed by Lestat and Xander, a little ways behind, bounding around the corner. Buffy turned to look at them but couldn't see much over Giganto Boy who was standing in her way.  
  
"Prepare to die slayer!" said some greasy biker guy dressed like the first one she had staked.  
  
"Awe gee, do I have to again. I've done that twice already, it is starting to get old."  
  
"Third times a charm." replied Grease Stain.  
  
"That's what they all say!"  
  
"Buffy!" Lestat called.  
  
"Kill them. Save the slayer for me." said Grease Stain.  
  
"And Cordy once said that I was never popular!"  
  
Buffy threw herself in the direction of Grease Stain, but at the last minute shifted her momentum and headed back towards Giganto before anybody could catch her. She sucker punched a vampire who tried to block her way and then dropped kicked him to knock him out of the fight for a while. Without stopping, she ran straight at Giganto and gave him a vicious roundhouse kick to the jaw that sent him flying out of her way, clearing Lestat and Xander's path into the fight.  
  
"Hi. Welcome to Sunnydale's Fight Club." Buffy said as Lestat ran straight into her arms.  
  
"Thanks, I thought you could use some help."  
  
"How did you know about this?"  
  
"Read your mind, then scanned the area and sensed about ten other vampires around you."  
  
"God I love your powers! I could kiss you!"  
  
"Save it for later. Here comes more of the welcome back committee."  
  
Buffy tossed Lestat out of the way and tossed herself into a body block with the air borne vamp. They both went down in a tangle of limbs and a nice popping sound coming from the vamps right shoulder. That didn't stop him though. He scrambled to his feet awkwardly and stumbled towards Xander, who was right beside Buffy. Xander dodged and punched Lefty in its hurt shoulder. It gave a roar and fell on the ground, gripping its shoulder. Buffy somersaulted over the downed vamp and staked it mid-flight while she flew into another vamp feet first.  
  
"Man that was cool Buff!" Xander said, right before he was body slammed to the ground. Lestat jumped up and hurtled the vamp off of Xander onto Spike's waiting stake. He helped Xander up and they four regrouped in the middle of the circle. Spike had staked 3 vamps so far. Out of the ten, there were now six left. They started to circle the group and lick their chops. Suddenly Grease Stain, who was obviously the leader of the group, clapped his hands and halted everyone. This startled Buffy and put her on edge. This was defiantly a trap that they had gotten themselves into and Buffy could just imagine what the bait was.  
  
"Buffy, help!" Her sister and Willow were dragged out of the shadows of a building. Their hands were bound behind their backs and their wrists looked a little swollen.  
  
"Let them go!" Buffy said warningly.  
  
"Or what, you and your friends there will come and get me? I don't think so slayer. My buddies here have orders to kill these two if you make one move against us one more time." Grease Stain said.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want for you to die slayer."  
  
"I told you, I've done that twice already and I don't want to do it again for quite some time!"  
  
"Stop getting cocky with me slayer!"  
  
"Awe, am I hurting the big bad vampires feelings? Listen Grease Stain, you obviously don't know who your messing with here! Allow me to introduce everyone. This is Lestat; he's one of the most powerful vampires you will ever meet. This is Spike, or William the Bloody. He's known for killing his victims with railroad spikes through the head, but he can make an exception and change that to a wooden stake through your heart. This here is Xander. He has a black belt in slaying your smelly asses, and he is a trained soldier. And me, I'm Buffy, the vampire slayer. So let my friends go and I won't kill you…to much."  
  
"Big talk for a little girl who is about to die." Grease Stain said.  
  
"Uh, I would think that over if I were you." Lestat said.  
  
"Oh yeah, why's that?"  
  
"Look over your shoulder."  
  
The vamp turned and was dust before he could see who had attacked him. It wasn't a who though, it was a what. Where the vamp had just stood, a stake hung in the air.  
  
"That was cool!" Xander said. "Was that you?" he asked Lestat.  
  
"Yes, that was me." Lestat answered  
  
"Guys, this is all good and well, but um there are still five vamps left. Excuse me please." Buffy said to Lestat and Xander. She stepped around them and picked up the remnants of a long wooden stick and stepped out in front of the little group. The vamps attacked her. She dispatched the two in front and behind her, then snapped kicked the one to her left and staked him right before she ducked down and swooped the one to her right off his feet and staked him too. There were only two left now and they took off at a run. Buffy took off after them and jumped on the back of the one lagging behind. She pinned this one down and tossed her long wooden pole into the back of the still running one. It turned to dust and Buffy whipped out Mr. Pointy and pushed it into the chest of the one underneath her. She pushed slowly and put her wait into to it.  
  
"Don't ever mess with my friends and family again," she whispered into the things ear before it turned to dust and she fell the last couple of inches to the ground.  
  
She stood up and brushed herself off before she turned around. Lestat and Xander were untying Willow and Dawn's wrists. Buffy rushed up to Dawn and hugged her. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine Buffy. My head hurts a little and so do my wrists, but other than that, I'm fine." Dawn said.  
  
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here." Buffy said picking up Dawn's wrists and inspecting them. They were definitely swollen.  
  
"It's ok Buffy. I don't blame you for it."  
  
"How about you, are you ok?" Buffy asked Willow.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Like Dawn said, head and wrists hurt, but other than that." Willow answered.  
  
"What happened? What did they want?" Lestat asked.  
  
"Well, Dawn and I were getting ready to go rent a movie and get some pizza since it was family night, we were waiting till late cause we wanted to wait for you guys. When we walked out the door, a net was thrown over our heads and then someone knocked us out. When we woke up, we were stuck in that warehouse over there." Willow pointed over to an old warehouse that looked just as grimy as the vampires had looked. "They said that we were bait for the slayer. They were planning on changing Dawn and I into vampires and then sending us after you when you found the warehouse, but you walked up just in time. They were about to sink their teeth in." Willow craned her neck so that Buffy could see the tiny fang imprints there.  
  
"Those bastards! Dawn let me see your neck." Buffy said.  
  
Dawn raised her neck up like Willow, and sure enough, there were twin scrape marks where the fangs had grazed her. This pissed Buffy off, a lot, and she walked over to the warehouse and tore the door off its hinges. She walked in to the dim interior that was lit by only old battery powered lamps. She knew there were about three other vamps in here the minute she stepped in.  
  
"Ok, come out! Your friends are all dead, and you're about to join them. As far as I can tell, I'm blocking your only exit. My friends have surrounded the building," *that's a lie, but hey, what they don't know can kill them* "so come on out and I'll make it quick."  
  
The three scrawny vampires came out of hiding and into the dim light. They looked pitiful! They were dirty and reeking. Buffy was a little disgusted.  
  
"Well, that's just sad!" Spike said behind Buffy. She didn't hear it though, she had charged the nearest vamp and pinned him to the wall with a stake through the hand. The thing squealed in pain and Buffy smiled grimly. The others tried to rush her to save their companion, but Lestat was there throwing them against the far wall where Spike and Xander held them there.  
  
"Why?" Buffy asked the vampire that was stuck to the wall.  
  
"Die slayer! As soon as I get off this wall, I'm going to suck you dry!" it spat.  
  
"I really don't think you're in the position to threaten me!" Buffy said shoving the stake further through the vamp's hand. It howled in pain and Buffy backhanded it. "Why?"  
  
"I'll die before I tell you!"  
  
"Wish granted." Buffy said, venom dripping in her voice. She ripped the stake out viciously and slammed the thing home. "Bring me another one."  
  
Spike came up dragging the bigger of the two remaining. He slammed it against the wall and Buffy shoved the stake through this one's hand into the wall as she had done the first one. "Your turn. Why?"  
  
This one didn't say anything, he tried to lean forward and bite her, but was cut off because Spike had taken his stake and shoved it through the vamp's other hand, pinning it to the wall also. It screamed and tried to get free. This only succeeded in pissing Buffy off more and she broke his nose. It screamed an unearthly wail and sagged down, but that only made the stakes tug on his hands and he screamed some more. Buffy yanked him up and chopped him in the neck. This made his screams stop and he started to cough and sputter. After about a minute of coughing and sputtering Buffy slammed his head back against the wall. "I'm tired of this. Talk now, or stake now. Your choice."  
  
"I'll die before I tell you our master's plans for you."  
  
"So you have a leader? Who is it?"  
  
"I'll never tell you! Go ahead and kill me slayer, more will come."  
  
"They always say that! Who is it?"  
  
"He is the most divine being in the world! You shall die at his hands slayer."  
  
"Right, and then I'll come back and go to Disneyland. Who is he?"  
  
"Kill me now slayer. I am warning you, the more you play with me, the closer our master comes to you."  
  
"So he's here in Sunnydale?"  
  
"He will kill you viciously for this slayer."  
  
"He's in Los Angeles! He is coming tomorrow night!" the other vampire screamed.  
  
"Shut up you fool!"  
  
They all turned and looked at the other vamp. "He wants you to die for what you and your friend did to Glory!"  
  
"What my friend and I did to Glory?" Buffy asked amazed.  
  
Just then the vampire that had been pinned to the wall ripped himself off and threw himself at the other vampire. He staked it and then turned to face Buffy. "You shall know no mercy for this act slayer." The vamp said and then staked himself. As he turned to ashes, Buffy and the others walked out into the street.  
  
"What my friend and I did to Glory?" Buffy asked again.  
  
"That's what he said." Spike answered.  
  
"That's ridiculous, I beat Glory to bloody pile of bones and blood then left her. I didn't kill her. And what friend? You all were hiding when I left her there."  
  
"Giles!" Xander said suddenly.  
  
"Giles? Where?" Buffy asked looking around for her watcher.  
  
"No, Giles killed Ben and Glory. He suffocated them." Xander said. "When you left to go up that tower, Giles walked over there and said something to Ben and then he put his hand over Ben's mouth and nose and suffocated them."  
  
Buffy looked shocked. She hadn't known any of this. She felt a little betrayed that no one had told her what Giles had done. Buffy looked at Xander, then at Willow and Dawn, and then at Spike. They all nodded in agreement with what Xander had just said.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.  
  
"We didn't think you needed to know. You had just been brought back Buff, you had already been through so much, and we just forgot about it until now." Xander said. He walked up and tried to put his arm around her shoulders. She jerked away and glared at them.  
  
"You should have told me! This could have been prevented somehow."  
  
"How Buffy?"  
  
"I don't know! But…Giles!" she broke away and started to run. Lestat took off after her in his vampire speediness leaving the group behind.  
  
"Buffy!" he said as he caught up to her easily.  
  
"Take me to your house Lestat."  
  
"All right, hold on." He walked back to the group and said something to Spike and came back to Buffy. He scooped her up and took flight. Within a few minutes they were back at his house. Buffy was crying uncontrollably, she never liked to talk about the events that led up to her dying on the tower. Now that she had found out that Giles had killed a human, she was devastated. She wasn't exactly sure why. She should have done it herself, but it was Giles that had done it! She was sitting on her big beautiful bed and crying into Lestat's shoulder. He was holding her and rocking her trying to get her to stop crying and talk. She didn't want to talk, not right now. She wanted sleep now. Lestat, reading her thoughts, laid her down. Within minutes, she had fallen asleep and started snoring lightly. Lestat smiled to himself and took her boots off and laid them on the floor. He took his boots off and laid down next to her. He wanted her to talk to him, after all, he was a very impatient person, but for her and the sake of not pissing her off, he let her sleep and would allow her to tell him when she was ready. For now, he would rest. 


	18. Everyday Life?

Chapter 18  
  
It was the next morning and everyone, but Dawn, Anya, and Tara, was convened at the Magic Box. Buffy had called them all there because she wanted to talk to them about last night's events. They were seated around the table except for Buffy and Lestat. Lestat was sitting on the stairs leading up to the loft and Buffy was pacing the floor. She was a little nervous because of her little outburst last night in front of them, and the fact that some big baddie guy was supposed to come to Sunnydale tonight.  
  
"Hey Buff, sit down and rest a while! I don't think the floor can take much more pacing!" Xander said.  
  
"Later Xander, right now I'm working on this big bad that is coming to Sunnydale tonight. So, what do we know?" Buffy asked.  
  
"That some bad guy can carry a grudge?" Xander asked jokingly.  
  
"Xander, this is serious! Ok, it can't be a vampire right? I mean Spike said that Glory had a thing against vampires. But then why would this bad guy have vamps following him if he was such a Glory fan?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Good deduction slayer!" Spike said. "Do you think it could be Doc?"  
  
"Who?" Buffy asked confused.  
  
"That guy that was cutting up little bits, that shoved me off the tower when I tried to save her, and the one you shoved off the tower before you saved Dawn and…" he trailed off, knowing that it was a sensitive subject to Buffy and not wanting to hurt her.  
  
"Oh, that guy! No. I don't think it could be. He was just human and that would have killed him." Xander raised his hand. "What?" Buffy said looking at Xander.  
  
"That guy wasn't a guy, Buff. He was a demon. I shoved a sword through his heart, or where I thought the heart was, and that was before you shoved him off the tower." Xander said.  
  
"Oh, well, even that fall would have killed him. He was only just a demon, right?" Spike nodded his head and she continued. "We can't do any research because we don't have a clue as to who or what this guy is. Here's what we are going to do: I have a meeting at work, so I'll go to that, Xander you hang at the house with Willow and wait for Dawn," Willow raised her hand, "What?"  
  
"I have class in about an hour." The red head said.  
  
"Oh, then Xander, you can hang at the house with Tara. I'm going to call her and ask her to do a protection spell on the house. Sorry Will, but you're out of commission."  
  
"That's ok, I'm fine here." Willow smiled.  
  
"Lestat, you can sleep if you want. I'll be there later to get you. Right now I have to go home and get changed."  
  
"I'll drive you." Xander said. "Hey, Lestat! Do you need a ride?"  
  
"I'm good. Thank you. I want to walk around and get to know the town more." Lestat said.  
  
"Excuse me? What about Spike?" Spike asked.  
  
"Go back to your crypt and wait till the sun goes down. I'll meet you all at the Bronze tonight at 6:30." Buffy said. With that, they all stood up and walked out the door talking and planning. Lestat and Buffy were the last ones out.  
  
"Hey." Lestat said.  
  
"Yeah?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Are you going to talk to me?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About what's going on. You had a minor breakdown last night and I don't think it was over Mr. Giles killing that man."  
  
"Oh, that. I'll talk to you later about that," Xander honked the horn and waved at Buffy to come on. "Right now I have to go." She grabbed his coat lapel and gently pulled him down to her lips. They kissed briefly and Buffy dashed off to Xander and the waiting car. Lestat waved at her and watched as the car drove off. Then he went walking around downtown.  
  
"So?" Xander asked.  
  
"So what?" Buffy said.  
  
"Lestat. Tell, tell little one!"  
  
"There's nothing to tell! He's my boyfriend. You like him, Will likes him, Dawn likes him, and I like him. That's about the it!"  
  
"Right! I haven't seen you kiss someone like that since Riley. Or even Angel!"  
  
"Oh, ok! I see how this is going to go!"  
  
"As always. The Buffster has a new beau! This is a very good thing. And Buffy, look at it this way: you didn't meet him in Sunnydale!"  
  
"You know, you're right! All my relationships that could have led to a lot more but fell apart, they all started here in Sunnydale. With Lestat, it's different. I've never been pampered by a guy like he wants to pamper me. I've also never been with a guy that I just met. But we hit it off in a big way! It has all the qualities of the relationship I had with Angel minus the curse. We can talk to each other, quite comfortably might I add, and we don't constantly look at each other and worry about sex and all that. I was never able to talk to Riley like I talk to Angel and Riley."  
  
"See, you deserve all of this Buff! The pampering, the talks, the nice sex that doesn't lead to possible world destruction, and a vampire guy that Xander Harris actually approves of Buffy dating." That last part earned him a smack on the arm. The two laughed the rest of the way to her house. She liked this, it was almost like old times, before she ever died and went to heaven. They arrived at her house and she let Xander and herself in. Xander headed straight for the kitchen while Buffy headed upstairs toward the bathroom for a shower. Just as she was stepping into the warm spray of water, Xander called up the stairs that she was clear out of cheesy poofs. She laughed to herself and smiled. They had some left, but Dawn and her had hidden them because they never got to eat them, Xander got to them first and if you tried to take just one you would lose a hand.  
  
"Never mind! I found some. Hey Buff, why do you keep these things in your cookie jar with your cookies?" he called up. Buffy rolled her eyes and got in. She let the warm spray wash off her frustrations temporarily. After she got out, dried her hair, and put on a pair of jeans and a loose black top, she walked downstairs for her makeup.  
  
"Hey Buff, lookin' good. What is this meeting for anyway?" Xander asked, orange crumbs falling onto his shirt.  
  
"I have a meeting with the boss to discuss my new schedule. Lestat talked them into letting me do part time with the same amount of income, and part of the reason he did that is because of this." Buffy reached into her purse and pulled out the letter informing her of her enrollment at UC Sunnydale.  
  
"Wow Buffy! Congrats! Lestat?"  
  
"Yup! I got the letter and I was so happy because I told him that was my one wish and he swept out like a fairy godfather and granted it!"  
  
"Buffy that is so amazing. He is nothing like what I expected him to be. From the books he seemed kind of arrogant and self-centered."  
  
"I know, I read them too, but he is much different than what I thought. At first he was a little arrogant towards me, but as soon as we got to talking, it was like a layer of ice that just melted away."  
  
"He fell under the Buffy charm."  
  
"I don't have a charm, Xander. I'm just Buffy. I'm the one who stands there with a guy and says 'this is me, take it or leave it.'"  
  
"Which is very bold of you."  
  
"Thank you. I have to go. When Dawn gets home make sure that Tara has the spell up and running and you have like a snack for her ready to eat. She likes that. Try making her a cut up apple with caramel over the slices. That's one of her favorites." Buffy rushed putting her makeup on, but she still looked good. She hugged Xander and said bye, then she dashed out the door and went to work at a brisk walk.  
  
"Hey!" Dawn called when she opened the door to her house. "Buffy?"  
  
"Hey Dawnster. Your sis isn't home, she had a meeting to go to." Xander said coming out of the living room.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"There's some apple slices with caramel on them in the kitchen."  
  
"Wow, thanks Xander."  
  
"No prob. You wanna watch a movie with us while we wait for Buffy?"  
  
"Us?"  
  
"Hi Dawnie." Tara said coming from the kitchen with a plate full of apple slices with the container of caramel in the center.  
  
"Tara!"  
  
"Have fun at school today?" Tara asked.  
  
"It was school. You know, maybe we could get that demon guy to come back and make school fun by singing and dancing about the subjects."  
  
"Nah, we all remember what happened the last time." Xander said. "So, Dawn, what movie you wanna watch? We've got Halloween, Interview With a Vampire…"  
  
"I vote for Interview, there is a great character named Lestat in it." Lestat said behind Dawn. He had come in through the front door so silently that no had even heard the door creak.  
  
Dawn jumped and turned around very startled. "Gosh Lestat, give someone that is way too young to have a heart attack a heart attack!"  
  
"Sorry." he said.  
  
"Let's go for Interview With a Vampire. I haven't seen that in a while." Dawn said plopping down on the couch between Xander's seat and Tara.  
  
Xander slid the tape in and sat down. Lestat walked over to the chair and sat down. The movie had just started and Dawn had already scarffed down her apples. About an hour later, Willow joined them. She said something about class being boring for once before they all shushed her.  
  
"How did your meeting go?" Spike asked.  
  
"It was fine. I got my new schedule." Buffy said handing Spike a slip of paper with her schedule on it. She had come by here after her meeting. They weren't doing anything but talking like two normal people. It was almost sundown and Buffy wanted to go to the Bronze to meet everyone. She hadn't known why she had come to Spike's, but she was here now, so might as well talk.  
  
"That looks much better than before, but why did you switch to part time?" Spike asked.  
  
"Well, Lestat got me back into UC Sunnydale. I start there this fall."  
  
"Wow, the new man scores a big point with the slayer." he said a little bitterly.  
  
"Spike, don't be that way. You couldn't give me what I want, Lestat can."  
  
"Is it money? Sure he's got a ton of it, but I can get some! Buffy, I'm in love with you, I would do anything for you."  
  
"Spike, stop. You're making me feel bad I came here."  
  
"Why did you?"  
  
"I don't know, I wanted to talk to you. Show you my new schedule. Can you baby-sit Dawn when I can't get Xander or Willow or Tara to it?"  
  
"You know I can."  
  
"Good. Hey look at that, the sun's down. We've gotta go meet the gang." Buffy said hopping up off the sarcophagus and heading towards the door.  
  
"Right." Spike grabbed his coat and followed Buffy close.  
  
"So, what do you think?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"This bad guy that wants to kill me for what Giles and I did to Glory?"  
  
"I think you are going to fight him, win, and go for pizza like you always do with the bad guy."  
  
"That simple with you, huh?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"But I meant, what do you think it is. Demon, human, maybe even vampire?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Why? You're going to win anyway."  
  
"Don't jinx me!"  
  
"I'm not gonna jinx you luv! I'm not a witch or the male equivalent to one."  
  
"You don't have to be to jinx someone. All you have to say is that I'm gonna win, then I won't."  
  
"Then we'll get Red back on magic and have her resurrect you again."  
  
"Not funny."  
  
"I'm not laughing."  
  
"Whatever." They had arrived at the Bronze and were looking around the place for her group. They weren't here yet. Buffy led Spike over to a table that she often frequented and sat down. After about ten minutes, she spotted Lestat's golden locks followed by the rest of the group. Lestat walked up and swept her into his arms and out on the dance floor.  
  
"You can dance?" she asked amazed.  
  
"Quite well actually." Lestat said giving her a devilish grin before kissing her. Oy, she liked that! This was going to be a great night! Or so she thought right up until the door to the Bronze was ripped open (literally) and a large group of vampires waltzed in, followed by one of the biggest, ugliest, hairiest, and slimiest demons Buffy had ever seen, and started holding people hostage. 


	19. Bronzin'

Chapter 19  
  
Buffy stood on the dance floor with Lestat and stared at the hideous sight in front of her. This demon was so gross! It had these horns that had to be dripping mucus or puss or something, and its whole head was covered in dread-locked hair that hadn't been washed in however long this demon had been alive, Buffy guessed. Its eyes looked like little pits of fire that she could see all the way from where she stood. The thing probably stood near seven feet tall without the giant boots it was wearing on its feet. The demon was dressed exactly like its vampire lackeys, or maybe they were dressed like it.  
  
"Buffy, what is that thing?" Lestat whispered.  
  
"I have no clue, but we better do something now or there are going to be a lot of dead bodies in the morning. Those vamps over there are starting to take people out." Buffy slipped a stake out of her back pocket as she said this. Her friends were sitting at the table staring at the demon. She tried to get their attention, but unfortunately the demon noticed her over the screams and crowds of bodies, live, not dead, thank God.  
  
"You!" it called.  
  
"Me!… and my big mouth!" Buffy mumbled under her breath. She looked up at the demon and smiled sarcastically.  
  
"You are the slayer! You and your friend killed the magnificent Glorificous!"  
  
"Actually, I just beat her to a broken and bloody pulp. I didn't kill her, in fact I killed myself." Buffy said trying to avoid a confrontation in here.  
  
"Then why are you here?"  
  
"That's a long story, but the short version is: got resurrected."  
  
"You lie! Kill everyone else, bring the slayer to me!"  
  
The vampires sprung into action and started hauling people in their direction to take a bite out of them.  
  
"NO!" Buffy screamed. They all stopped and stared at her, even the demon. "Leave them out of this! It's me you want, take me."  
  
"You won't take her unless you take me too!" Xander stood up and approached Buffy.  
  
"And me!" Spike said following.  
  
"Don't forget us!" Dawn and Willow said coming up too.  
  
"And I, I will not allow you to take her unless you take me also!" Lestat called.  
  
"Guys, no! It's me he wants, you stay out of this!" Buffy said.  
  
"No slayer, your friends want to suffer the same fate as you, they shall! Get them!" the demon bellowed.  
  
The group split up to make it harder for the vamps to get their hands on them. Lestat and Buffy headed up the stairs, Willow and Xander head off towards the stage, and Spike took Dawn towards the counter where the silverware (namely the knives) lived. At first the vamps got confused but split up fast and headed after the three groups. The vamps hadn't really seen where Buffy and Lestat had disappeared to and that gave them the element of surprise. Buffy motioned to Lestat that she wanted to jump over the railing and down onto the vamps' backs. He nodded, she counted to three with her fingers on her thigh, and then they jumped. Before she could land on them, Lestat surprised her by grabbing her and flying her back up. She started to get mad when she looked down and saw that the vamps were on the ground and looking around very confused as to what had just happened to them. She almost laughed at them, but she couldn't because they would most defiantly hear her and come up to get her. She scanned the area and saw that Spike was holding his own from behind the bar, but he wouldn't be able to hold it up much longer, and Willow and Xander were surrounded and their odds didn't look good.  
  
"Shit!" Buffy whispered. She was going to have to get down there and help them or else her friends were going to die right under her nose, literally.  
  
"Don't worry. Here give me your stake." Lestat said, reaching out and waiting for Buffy to hand him Mr. Pointy.  
  
"Why, what are you going to do?" she asked reluctantly handing him the stake.  
  
"I can get about three or four of them out of Willow and Xander's group of vampires before I have to retreat back up here, then I'll head over to where Spike and Dawn are and get rid of the same amount."  
  
"How the hell are you going to do that?"  
  
"Buffy, you read my books, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"What power do I have that you will never possess unless I myself change you?"  
  
"Lestat, we're in the heat of battle here and you want me to remember a detail from one of your books?"  
  
"I can move faster than anything you have ever seen. I can sweep around the room in the blink of an eye."  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for, me to blink?"  
  
With that he was gone, but only for a few seconds. She looked down and saw four clouds of ash exploding in quick succession in front of Xander and Willow, and then he was back at her side.  
  
"Wow!" Buffy said, wide eyed. "When are you going to teach me that?"  
  
"Not unless you want to be a vampire."  
  
He was gone before she could answer. But this last comment struck a nerve with her. To be a vampire like him, was actually kind of tempting. She wouldn't admit that to anyone, but she would talk to him about it. Suddenly he was back and there were about four less vamps in front of Spike and the bar.  
  
"Hi." He said.  
  
"Hi." She answered back a little off because he didn't know how much that last sentence he had made had struck a chord with her.  
  
"Are you ready to go down there? They are a lot shorter on vampires than they were a few seconds ago. There are enough to take out with the six of us regrouped. Then we can find a way out, go back to your Magic Box and do the research, as you call it, on this demon down there. What do you say?"  
  
"I say 'wow' and 'let's do it.'"  
  
He nodded and they jumped over the railing facing the stage. He landed with barley a thud and Buffy landed a little harder than she had anticipated. All the vamps turned to stare at her and Lestat while the demon moved a little closer to the stage. Lestat was gone again. She saw that he had gone over to Spike and Dawn and was obviously telling them to get on the stage. The three headed towards the stage in a mad dash through the small thicket of vampires and jumped the stairs to the stage. Buffy shoved Dawn behind the group and before she knew it, Lestat and Spike were to her left and right. The remaining vamps looked a little fearful of this little display and backed off a little. Buffy smirked and took Mr. Pointy from Lestat. Spike handed Lestat one of his stakes and they went into action. There were only about nine vamps left and six of the nine were dusted fairly easily, the rest of them fled for their unlives. Buffy, Spike, and Lestat looked at the demon menacingly, but he didn't back off, he stood his ground arrogantly.  
  
"This is the part where you run screaming into the night begging for your life." Buffy informed the demon.  
  
"No, more will come. I have legions of these loathsome creatures. Let me ask you this slayer, why is it that you associate yourself with vampires? These two are of the undead yet they are not dust on the mother earth." The demon said calmly.  
  
"They're different."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Why are we conversing as if I care? Why don't we just fight and get it over with? There is this great movie on HBO tonight that I don't want to miss." Buffy said.  
  
"You mock too much slayer."  
  
"It's a flaw."  
  
"I would like to learn about my kill before they are unmercifully destroyed at my hands."  
  
"Boy, you have a way with words, don't you?"  
  
"Buffy, maybe you shouldn't…" Lestat started to say, but was cut off by the demon,  
  
"Buffy! What sort of name is that for a warrior of your nature slayer?"  
  
"Hey, my mother gave me that name!" That was it, she had had enough! She fan full force at the demon, before any one could stop her or even realize what she was doing, and plowed into it with all her strength. The demon and Buffy went flying backwards in a massive tangle of giant and tiny limbs. Buffy stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Buffy!" Lestat called. She turned around and looked at Lestat, but it was too late, the demon had her in a death grip and was lifting her off the floor by her throat as she gagged and gasped for breath while she kicked and kicked with all the strength she could muster. 


	20. Trouble With Demons

Chapter 20  
  
Buffy was kicking for all she was worth, but it wasn't helping! She was starting to panic! She could see white everywhere and on the edges of her vision black dots were beginning to swarm. The more she kicked, the more she had to gasp for breath. Jest as she started to go limp, the world came back to her. She had been dropped on the floor, hard. The second she realized that her airway was free, she sucked in a huge gulp of breath, but this made her cough till she thought she was going to hurl, and she kept on coughing. She realized that someone was picking her up and rubbing her back, although she had no clue who it was, all she could see was black spots on a dark, fuzzy background. She started to gasp and then slowly regained her breath. She looked up to see Spike bending over her on the couch of the Bronze, rubbing her back.  
  
"Buffy! Are you ok? Come on Buffy, breath." He was saying to her.  
  
"I'm trying!" she rasped between agonizing breaths. She looked up to see all her friends staring at something that she couldn't over them.  
  
"Don't get bitchy with me!" Spike smiled.  
  
"Lestat!" Buffy called hoarsely.  
  
"He's the one who saved you. He plowed into that demon with more strength than I've ever seen. Now you be quiet and breath." Spike ordered.  
  
"No, I need to help him!" Buffy said trying to stand, but Spike pushed her back down gently.  
  
"No, catch your breath Buffy. We almost lost you there. Again!"  
  
"Buffy, are you ok?" Willow asked coming up to her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'd be better if Spike would let me go help Lestat." Buffy said glaring at Spike.  
  
"Lestat is doing fine! The demon can't touch him because he's moving way too fast!" Willow said.  
  
"See, he's ok. Now breath so you can get out of here without being strangled again!" Spike said sitting down next to her.  
  
She sat there listening to the demon's shouts of anger and grunts. She could tell that Lestat didn't really need her, but there was this instinct in her that told her to make a break for it and go help him. Then there was a loud pop followed by a thud. Lestat came over to Buffy and she tried to stand but her legs felt like Jello and she nearly collapsed. Fortunately for her, Lestat was fast and he caught her in his arms and hoisted her up. They ran out of the Bronze and towards the Magic Box. By the time they got there, Buffy was running too. She had insisted she was fine over and over again until Lestat put her down. He wouldn't leave her side though; he stayed right there beside her the whole time.  
  
They plowed through the door at the back of the Magic Box and into the training area. While the rest of them tried to catch their breaths, Buffy, Lestat, and Spike were making sure the doors and windows were locked up tight, just in case.  
  
"Ok, it's all good." Buffy said as she returned from the front of the store.  
  
"That's…great…Buff…I…think…that…I'm…dying!" Xander said between gasps of air and clenches of pain in his side.  
  
"You're not dying Xand! Now come on, we know what this guy looks like, let's get to work. Willow, you check the computers. Xander and Dawn, you guys look in the books. Spike, you can stay back here and help get the weapons ready. Lestat, you and I are going to my house to get the good weapons." Buffy said. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Spike, lock this door after we leave." With that, Lestat and Buffy disappeared out the door into the night.  
  
"All right kids, let's get crackin'!" Spike said clapping his hands. They all rolled their eyes and headed towards the outer part of the store. "What?" Spike said confused.  
  
"The good weapons?" Lestat asked, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yeah! I have a whole supply of them at the Magic Box, but all my better ones are at the house stashed away for a rainy day. Well, a demon-y rainy day that is." Buffy smiled.  
  
They were headed up the walkway to her house when a shadow disengaged itself from the shadows. Buffy dropped into a defensive position but lightened up when she realized that it was only Angel.  
  
"Angel, hey!" Buffy said, running up to him and hugging him. "Thanks for coming on such a short notice."  
  
"What happened to your neck?" Angel asked, lightly touching the bruises that were developing there.  
  
"Oh, we met the demon that is causing all this trouble."  
  
"He strangled you?" Angel asked concerned.  
  
"I got away, thanks to Lestat."  
  
"You need to put some ice on it Buffy, that's going to be swollen."  
  
"Angel, I don't need ice!"  
  
"Buffy, I was recently a dad. Humor me and do what I say."  
  
"Yes daddy." Buffy said smiling sarcastically.  
  
"That's better."  
  
They walked into the house and shut the door behind them. Buffy made sure it was locked while Lestat went to check the back door. When he came back, Buffy went upstairs to her room and pulled out her trunk. She couldn't recall all the times she had had to get the stuff out of this trunk to fight the forces of evil. One she could remember though was the harvest. Angel had told her about the harvest coming and Giles had informed her of what would happen. She had pulled this out and loaded herself down with weapons. She smiled at the thought of that particular victory and opened the trunk.  
  
"Buffy, I don't think girlie stuff is going to kill this demon." Lestat said.  
  
"No, but this will." She lifted the little shelf to reveal the false bottom piled high with her best weapons. The first thing that caught her eye though was the sword that she had had to use against Angel. After she had returned from LA, Giles had given this back to her. He thought that she might have wanted it on behalf of Kendra. What he hadn't known at the time was that the sword should have been in hell with her lover. She could have sworn on her life that the sword had gone with Angel to hell and that she would never see it again. She had been dead wrong there! She looked up at Angel and realized that he had recognized the sword too. She touched his hand lightly.  
  
"Hey, it's ok. It wasn't your fault, you had to do it." Angel said sadly.  
  
She smiled bitterly and picked up the sword. At first she had thought that she had forgotten how to use it, but the second the weight of it was in her hand, it all come whooshing back to her. She knew right away that this would be her weapon of choice, no matter what the history of it was with her. She laid it on the bed next to her slayer bag, standing back to remember when she had received this sword from her friend Kendra, the vampire slayer.  
  
"You guys get what you want then get out so I can change into something a little more slay worthy." She said smiling.  
  
Angel chose the battle-axe and the broadsword. The broad sword had belonged to Giles, but before he had left, he had given it to her. Lestat chose a crossbow and another sword that Buffy knew was heavier than it looked. Obviously Lestat had thought that it was going to light because when he picked it up he had almost dropped it. It was rather funny to Buffy because of all the strength that he possessed; he had anticipated a weapon's weight wrong and nearly dropped it on his foot. They lest the room and went downstairs. Buffy changed into some loose fitting black sweat pants and a tank top. It was chilly outside so she chose to wear a baggy, baby blue jacket that her mom had gotten for her in LA a while back. She picked up four stakes and shoved two in each pocket then picked up the cross necklace that Angel had given her six years ago and locked the clasp behind her neck. Now she was ready to go. She decided to go on a short patrol before heading back to the Magic Box.  
  
"Who's up for a patrol?" she asked when she stepped off the last stair.  
  
"Are you sure that's what you want? Or better yet, are you sure that is safe?" Angel asked. Lestat had apparently filled Angel in on the details of the newest Hellmouth resident.  
  
"Yes and yes. I need to anyway, just to see if we run into any lackeys of big slimy demon guy." She smiled and headed out the door with Angel and Lestat close behind. "Besides two vampires and a slayer. What could they possibly do?"  
  
When they got to the Magic Box they got their answer. The place was in shambles! She ran in and called for her sister and the rest of the gang. When there was no answer, she ran to the training room in the back. "Dawn! Willow! Guys?" she called. Suddenly a pile of wood that had been her chest of weapons, and possibly a few of her weapons, moved. There came a groan of pain from under it and then a mop of bleach blond hair poked out from under the pile.  
  
"Spike!" she screamed and ran over to help him up out of the pile of wood and metal. "What happened here?" she asked.  
  
"What, no 'are you ok Spike'?" he asked rubbing part of his head that was bleeding pretty badly.  
  
"Spike, this is no time…"  
  
"I know luv. It took them. It took all of them and left me here to tell you."  
  
"The demon?" Angel asked stepping forward.  
  
"Of course the bleedin' demon! What is Nancy Boy doing here?"  
  
"Hey! Stop this, we need to find them. Did it tell you where he was taking them?" Buffy yelled.  
  
"No, but I assume that t is the warehouse that we hit last night." Spike answered, then staggered as he tried to walk. He was a little woozy from the loss of blood.  
  
"Come on, we need to get you patched up." Buffy said helping Spike to the front of the store and sitting him down. She walked behind the counter and opened a drawer with a huge first aid kit in it. She pulled out some bandages, tape, cotton balls, wet naps, and some rubbing alcohol. She walked back over to Spike and opened a package of wet naps. She started to clean the wound and within minutes the wound was clean, disinfected, and bandaged. There had been some complaining from Spike when she had dabbed the wound with the alcohol soaked cotton balls, but he quickly shut up when Buffy threatened him with a slap to the head.  
  
"Ok, let's suit up with the weapons we brought and the ones that are left here and go get my friends back." Buffy said, all business.  
  
"We can't. The demon said that when he was ready for you, he would send a vamp to bring us to him, but if we come any earlier, it kills your friends. He knows that Lestat and I are still walking free with you, but he doesn't know about Angel there. That gives us an advantage, so if I were you I would wait and use that advantage Buffy." Spike said.  
  
"And you couldn't have told us this when we got here?" Buffy said annoyed.  
  
"Well, you weren't all gung ho about going to save them before."  
  
"Because you were hurt. I need you Spike. I need your strength to help my friends and my sister." She said quietly.  
  
"All right then."  
  
"Ok, what all did you find out about demon guy?" Buffy asked ready to learn.  
  
"Here, they found him on the Internet and Willow printed this out before…"  
  
"Good. This is good, but we need more info." She said after she scanned the pages.  
  
"I can do a complete net search on this demon in no time." Lestat spoke up.  
  
"Ok, that's great. Here use the name to search. Angel, Spike, and I will do more research in the books. Weaknesses guys. This guy is strong and we can't take any chances." Buffy said.  
  
With that they went to work and waited for the vampire to show up to take them to her sister and friends. 


	21. Surprise

Chapter 21  
  
"Where are we?" Xander asked, just waking up from his unconsciousness.  
  
"We're back in the warehouse." Willow answered.  
  
"Well, that's great! Where's Sucker?"  
  
"You mean Sucher! He's in the main room with more of his vamp lackeys preparing them for Buffy, Lestat, and Spike."  
  
"Oh, that's nice. Hey Dawnie, you ok?"  
  
"I've been much better." She answered agitated that she was back in this grimy dingy little place.  
  
"Buffy will find us. She's probably looking for us right now. I just hope she was smart enough to look this guy up before she saves us." Willow said  
  
"Der Sucher Vengeance! What kind of a name is that?" Buffy asked. "And he made fun of my name!"  
  
"It means The Vengeance Seeker. It's German according to what Willow found." Lestat said.  
  
"It says here that he's from a hell dimension that you can find the door to it in Germany. There's where the German comes in. Apparently he pledged his allegiance to Glorificous about 4,000 years ago and since then has been fighting for her name in all sorts of dimensions, hell dimensions and otherwise." Angel said reading from an old dusty book.  
  
"Boy, this guy sounds like fun! How do you kill him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You can't, not by any of our means found here on earth, or this dimension anyway, and you can't harm him. The wounds just heal instantly and he feels no pain from them. There is a sword from a dimension that he conquered a long time ago where a warrior made a sword and had a spell of some sort put on it to harm and even kill this guy. It worked too, but Sucher killed the warrior before he could behead him or at least wound him to the point that Sucher would die within a matter of hours."  
  
"Neat!" Buffy said dryly. "How are we going to find this sword? What was the name of this dimension that this sword was created?"  
  
"No one knows. It was destroyed after the battle between Sucher and the warrior in a fit of rage by Sucher and, get this, Glory. The sword was lost, supposedly forever. It was called L'Orage D'Août. It means…" Angel read, but was cut off by Lestat.  
  
"The August Storm. It's French, and it's not lost. I have a friend who collects weapons of the supernatural sort, he has a sword called L'Orage D'Août." He informed them.  
  
"We, need it, now! Can you get it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Give me a few minutes, I can get it as soon as I can find him." Lestat answered.  
  
"Well, go. Don't worry about us, we can handle ourselves. But hurry please Lestat." Buffy pleaded.  
  
"Of course ma chère, I shall return as soon as I can." With that he walked out the broken door and disappeared up into the sky.  
  
"Now that gets on my nerves!" Spike said entering from the training area.  
  
"Why?" Angel asked as he and Buffy turned to look at him.  
  
"Now we're vampires and he's a vampire too." Off their confused looks he elaborated some more. "He can fly, we can't. He can read minds, we can't. He has a soul, we don't. Well, most of us don't." He said gesturing to Angel.  
  
"What's your point Spike?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Just that it's no fair that he's a vampire, but he gets all the cool powers and we get bugger and a bumpy face."  
  
"Shut up Spike! Go back and finish fixing that mess you made!" Angel said.  
  
"The mess I made?" Spike said agitated and angry. "Look here Nancy Boy, that mess wasn't my fault at all! I got jumped!"  
  
"So what? You helped make it, you get to clean it."  
  
"Oh, I know what this is about!"  
  
"Yeah what?"  
  
"I was with your girl there when you weren't. I get to shag her and you can't and that just irks you to the very demon you keep hidden and locked away inside. Well sod off!"  
  
"That's it! I couldn't put up with you the first time I got rid of you, and I sure as hell couldn't put up with you the second time! I think you've made yourself a record here Spike! Congratulations, the third time around, it took a lot less time!" Angel was ready to lunge and shove a stake through Spike's undead heart, but Buffy stepped up and put a hand on his chest.  
  
"Stop it, both of you! I can't handle you two fighting and deal with Vengeance Sucker guy at the same time. So play nice until this is all over. Angel, you'll go back to LA and you won't have to put up with any of us." Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy…" Angel started.  
  
"No, Spike go back there and finish up. Angel, go back to searching this guy. It'll all be over soon and you can go back to LA." With that Spike left, but Buffy and Angel stayed where they were.  
  
"Buffy, I don't want to go back to LA and not put up with you. I'm thinking of moving back to Sunnydale. I've lost too much in LA. I lost you, Wesley, Conner. I can't deal with this anymore Buffy. The only time I am near to the life I had before Conner came around is when I'm with you. Cordy, Gunn, Fred, they don't know what it's like for me. Now I know how you feel, or at least felt. I know now what it is like to have to pretend that everything is ok, when on the inside all of you feels like it is dying. I know that you're with Lestat, and I don't want to compromise that with the news I'm about to tell you, but here me out here Buffy. Ok?" She nodded her head, tears in her eyes. He led her over to a chair and sat her down, then he pulled up a chair in front of her, then he continued. "Buffy, when Conner was born and the whole time he was around, something felt off. At first I thought that it was losing Darla, but deep down I knew that wasn't it. When I talked to you and had Conner in my arms, it all felt whole, that feeling was gone. Now, for my news. It starts off like this: When I first saw you holding Conner and you were there with me, I felt happiness for the first time since that night we made love. It scared me, that's why I ran out of there suddenly. I thought that I was going to lose my soul, but it never happened. After you left, I asked Lorne about it. I even sang just for that purpose alone. He told me… Buffy, he told me that my soul is completely bound to me. It will never leave me. Apparently the whole thing with Conner was the binding of my soul. I don't know how or why it happened, but I know it happened." He reached in his duster pocket and pulled out a tiny velvet box. He got down on his knee in front of her and her eyes widened, her tears falling down her cheeks slowly. Angel opened the box for her to see the contents: her claddagh ring. She had left it in the mansion when he had come back from hell. She had thought that it was gone forever. "Buffy, I've kept this with me since I first fell back into this dimension. I kept it to remember all the love that we have ever shared between us and now I want to make this the binding of our souls. Buffy, will you make me the happiest person on earth and be my wife?"  
  
  
  
Ok guys, this is where you come into play. I want you to decide who Buffy stays with. Will she marry Angel or will she turn him down to stay with Lestat? I don't want you to put a review up saying what you want. I want you all to e-mail me. It is going to be a secret ballad and in the next 2 weeks, whichever storyline gets the most votes will be posted with the story's new name, "Changes". Please title your e-mails "Angel vs. Lestat Storyline" so I won't delete any e-mails that I don't recognize. My e-mail is buffybaby85@aol.com I look forward to who you all pick in the next two weeks. I don't care how many times you change your minds, at the end of two weeks from the time this chapter is posted, I will write the new storyline and go from there.  
  
Luv,  
  
BuffyL 


	22. Der Sucher Vangeance

A/N Ok guys come on! You didn't really think that I could go 2 weeks without continuing this story, did you? I got a lot of e-mails and here you all go, the next chapter. Buffy's answer.  
  
Chapter 22  
  
"Oh God!" Buffy exclaimed. "Oh God, Angel! Are you serious?"  
  
"Very serious. Buffy, I've wanted this ever since that day I laid eyes on you. I love you and that's all that matters." Angel replied gripping her shaking hands.  
  
"Oh, Angel. I love you too, but I just don't know. I'm with Lestat. I've dreamed of those words spilling from your mouth a hundred, no, a million times over, but it was never like this. I was with you, not someone else. I want to say yes, but I can't, at least not till after you, Lestat, and I have talked all this over."  
  
"I completely understand. I figured that was what you would say when I found out about you and Lestat, that's why I'm not going to push this. We'll talk after this is all over."  
  
"Hey, there's a vampire standing at the back door here. Dressed like the buggers we did away with earlier. Lestat isn't back yet is he?" Spike interrupted.  
  
"No, not yet. Can you stall?" Buffy asked standing up and wiping away her tears.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Buffy are you ok?" Spike asked taking a step towards her.  
  
"I'm fine, just upset that they got my friends again." She answered. "Go, stall."  
  
"All right." Spike said turning and leaving slayer and vampire alone reluctantly.  
  
"We need Lestat now! We can't wait much longer." Buffy said starting for the door. She bumped into Angel and he dropped the ring. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. Um, here…" Buffy bent and picked up her ring. After staring at it for a moment she put it on. "You know, just so we don't lose this." She smiled up at Angel and got a loving smile right back. Those smiles were so rare! She loved them, she had always loved them.  
  
Spike came back in and interrupted their little moment, "Um, this sod back here is really pushin' it! He says come now, or…"  
  
"Or what?" Buffy asked a little menacingly.  
  
"Sucher is going to kill your friends and possibly change Little Bits."  
  
"Oh. We can't wait…" Buffy said heading towards Spike.  
  
"Then wait no more." They all turned and there stood Lestat with a giant sword in his hand and a grin on his face.  
  
"That it?" Buffy asked stepping up to Lestat and reaching for the sword. He drew it back out of her reach. "Hey, I need that."  
  
"I know. Are you sure you can handle it? It is pretty heavy." Lestat answered. Angel let out an amused grunt behind Buffy. "What?"  
  
"I can handle it, trust me." He handed it over and she took it with such ease that it surprised Lestat. "Nice weight. The blade's a little crude, but it should be good enough to kill this bastard. Ok here's the plan. Angel, they don't know you're coming, so you take the sword and follow us from the rooftops. If there aren't any roofs, just follow from a safe distance. Lestat, Spike, and I will follow vamp guy in there, probably unarmed. Angel, how many weapons can you handle?"  
  
"A good deal, just load me up and call me an ass." He answered with a playful grin that made Buffy blush.  
  
"Good, good. Spike tell the vamp to wait outside, we, um, need to lock up the store."  
  
"Right." He turned and went back into the room. When the door shut, the others came in and Buffy loaded her slayer's bag down with a bunch of useful weapons. She zipped it up as best she could and handed it to Angel.  
  
"You be careful." She said very seriously.  
  
"As always." Angel said and waited for them to go out the door. As soon as they did, he counted to ten and then went out. He looked up and around. When he was satisfied that they were out of the ally and no one was around, he jumped up and gripped the side of the roof. He hauled himself up easy and tossed the bag over his shoulder. Angel ran to the edge of the roof and saw the four headed towards Dock town. He walked back a couple of paces and then took a flying leap towards the next roof. He landed with a silent thud and kept running. He kept up fairly well all the way to the warehouse where he saw them disappear inside. Angel looked around. Guards, but not many. He could see about four by the door and one on either side of the ally. It would take some time, but he could manage. He went to the back of the warehouse and slipped down the side. Angel looked around and took off for the left side. He dispatched of that one quickly and quietly and then slipped around to the other side and killed him easy too. Now for the real challenge. He had already lost too many valuable minutes and time was not on his side. His only choice: put on his game face and stroll right up to them. This was exactly what he did. At first they didn't see him, but he made enough noise to get their attention.  
  
"Hey guys, this is where the party's at right? I heard that this is where we can come to see the slayer bite the dust."  
  
"Hey pal, ain't no party here, so go home before we kill you." One of them said.  
  
"What? Boy, you're so rude! Well, guess you're gonna have to pay for that!" He ran up fast and staked the one that had spoke to him and the one next to him first and then jumped up and flipped over the other twos' heads. They turned to face him, or attack him, but they were dust in two heartbeats. Angel looked around to see if there were any more of them, but there weren't, so he went to the window and peeped in. Buffy and Lestat were being held by about six vampires each and Spike was unconscious on the floor. Willow, Dawn, and Xander were tied up and hanging on hooks that were attached to a rope around their waists.  
  
*This is not good. A few minutes had passed since they had walked in and already I'm going to die for the third time.* Buffy thought. It had all happened all to quick. She knew that she was walking straight into a trap the minute she had stepped in the door of the Magic Box earlier tonight, but this was crazy! This was an ambush! About 20 vamps had rushed at them from all sides the second they were over the threshold. Buffy and Lestat had traded a few blows before getting trapped under about 12 of them and Spike had been taken down by the rest. She had thought that he had been staked because when he was dragged down she had heard a vamp explode, but as soon as they stood up, there was Spike's still form lying on the floor, broken and bleeding. The odds right now were not in their favor because there were about 20 more vamps hiding in the warehouse when they had got taken down. Where was Angel? Why didn't he come and rescue her? Just when she was starting to get worried something had happened to him, there was a crash from outside.  
  
"Go! See what has happened!" Sucher said. About half the 40 something vamps in the warehouse left at this command. As soon as they had filed out the door however, a skylight overhead broke and a dark figure flew down to the ground. It was Angel all right and he was ok. He looked around and in the confusion that followed, the vamps holding Buffy and Lestat let their guard down long enough for them to escape. Buffy flipped over a few of the vamps' heads and landed in front of Angel.  
  
"Hey," she said.  
  
"Hey. I think you might need this." He said handing her the sword.  
  
"And after this is all over, I'm thinking peanut butter and chocolate pig fest!"  
  
"And possibly a talk." Off her look, "I'm not pushing!"  
  
"Okay, let's get this over with." She turned to the vamps now surrounding them and snarled at a few of them. Of course they just had to snarl back at her. Spike was now conscious and standing behind two of them.  
  
"Bleedin' sods!" he exclaimed staking the two in their backs. "Bloody buggers cut my favorite shirt!"  
  
"Spike!" Buffy yelled, but it was too late, about three vamps jumped on Spike's back and tried to bring him down.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn yelled from behind. Buffy turned to see blood covering about half of her sister's head from a nasty cut just below her hairline that was defiantly going to need stitches. The others didn't look that great either. Xander's arm was at a funny angle, probably broken and he was bruised and cut in a hundred different places. Willow's shirt was almost covered in blood and she looked way too pale! Where was the cut though? Where was she bleeding from? Buffy had to get them out of here, now!  
  
"Lestat." *Get to Dawn, Willow, and Xander, NOW! * Buffy thought, hoping he had received that. She knew he had when he nodded and was gone in a blink. From there Buffy really couldn't tell what was happening. Vampires were swarming in on her from all sides and her slayer senses kicked into high gear and took over her body. She punched, kicked, hacked, staked, and pretty much destroyed everything but her friends that got into her path of destruction. Buffy was completely lost to the slayer in her. She was doing her job: killing the bad guys, and she was doing like she had never done it before. Buffy guessed that it was the thought of what her friends looked like at the moment that kept her going at the drop dead pace she was at now. She was a vampire-killing machine that was unstoppable! And she loved it in a sick twisted way!  
  
As quickly as it had begun, it was over. There were only about five vamps left and they were running away like headless chickens. Buffy looked down at herself. She was covered in sweat and a little blood. She looked up at her friends: Angel standing next to her, Spike guarding Dawn, Xander and Willow regrouping and coming towards her, and Lestat who was standing a few feet away from her and Angel. Then she turned her back to them and faced the demon. He looked a little afraid, but he was too arrogant to admit it. He stood a little taller now and so did Buffy. She hefted her sword and stared at Sucher.  
  
"Ok, Sucker, it's time for you to die." Buffy said, her voice low and dangerous.  
  
"As you Americans so fondly say, 'bring it on!'" Sucher said. He charged her; his head bent down to ram her in the stomach. She flipped to the side while Angel and Lestat cleared out of the way. As Sucher passed, Buffy stuck the sword out and grazed his arm. He screamed out in a voice that sounded like there were more voices coming out of him. Buffy plugged her ears and stared defiantly at the demon. When he stopped screaming, he looked down at the cut that Buffy had made, then to the sword held in her hand.  
  
"L'Orage D'Août!" He screamed.  
  
"Oh, you recognize it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Where did you get that? It was destroyed with that hellhole dimension with that bastard warrior!"  
  
"Yeah, I guess you would think that. What you don't realize is that the most peculiar things find their way to the hellmouth."  
  
"You will die just like that warrior. Do you want to know how I killed him?"  
  
"Not interested."  
  
"You don't want to know how you're going to die?"  
  
"No, I usually get surprised. Except for the first time, I knew about that. So, let's get this over with, cause one of us is going to bite the big one tonight. No pun intended. And it ain't gonna be me."  
  
They rushed each other and at the last moment she stepped right and dealt him a vicious backhand. He spun with and turned to face her. The punch had only startled him and Buffy realized that her only hope of beating this guy was to use the sword. She tried not to show this realization though, she wanted the upper hand. He rushed her again, but was held back by Lestat and Angel.  
  
"Run him through!" Angel yelled, struggling against Sucher, who was about two times Angel's size.  
  
Buffy ran at Sucher with the sword pointed towards him. She thought that she was going to make it, but was suddenly thrown back without warning by Angel and Lestat's flying bodies. Sucher had used all his strength and thrown them off of him. Buffy cried out as she was brought down and nearly crushed under four sets of limbs that were much bigger than her. All her slayer senses told her to throw them off and attack, but these were her friends and she was not about to hurt them. She waited until she could get herself untangled and then flipped up only to stare at a giant, hairy, slimy chest in her way. When she looked up, the fires in Sucher's eyes blazed at the thought that he had just surprised her and was going to kill her. He reached out to grab her throat and haul her off the floor as the sword was pressed into her hand. As she was being draged up, she hefted the sword and brought it down over her head in a great arc that sliced through Sucher's skull. He dropped her and she fell down to the floor, but landed on her feet.  
  
"I told you one of us was going to die." She said to his falling form. When it hit the floor Buffy chopped it's head off and stabbed it through the place where there should be a heart. "Bastard." She mumbled under her breath.  
  
Buffy tossed the sword down and ran to her sister. They hugged tightly and Buffy inspected the cut on her sister's forehead. That was defiantly going to need stitches and Xander's arm was going to need immediate medical attention.  
  
"I'll take them, I've got my car near by." Spike said. "I left it here earlier when…"  
  
"I don't care, just get them to the hospital. Lestat, Angel, and I will meet you there. We are going to make a sweep after we bury this creep." Buffy said.  
  
"Ok, see you there." With that Spike lead Willow, Dawn, and Xander outside.  
  
"Buffy, don't worry about the body. I've got it, ok?" Lestat said.  
  
"You are so sweet. Thank you." Buffy said.  
  
Lestat picked up the demon's feet and dragged him out the door, leaving a trail of blue-green blood behind him. Angel turned to Buffy and gently took her arm.  
  
"You're hurt."  
  
"It'll heal. Are you ok?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Been better."  
  
"I can understand that."  
  
"Angel…" Buffy began, but didn't finish.  
  
"Go on Buffy."  
  
"Um, about you're question, you know the answer."  
  
"I do?"  
  
"You do."  
  
"I understand, you're with Lestat. I'll go back to LA and you can have you're life here." He started to walk off but Buffy grabbed his arm and turned him around.  
  
"Why are you always looking at the negative side of things?" she asked sarcastically before she pulled him in to kiss her. God, she had missed these lips! And now they weren't dangerous lips, she was free to kiss them forever without any consequences. This was what she wanted. They broke the kiss and smiled at each other.  
  
"What's going on here?" Lestat asked from the doorway. 


	23. At the Hospital

Chapter 23  
  
"Lestat!" Buffy exclaimed, jumping back away from Angel.  
  
"Buffy, what's going on here?" Lestat asked again.  
  
"Um, Oh God! It wasn't supposed to happen like this! I'm sorry! I really am sorry."  
  
"No, hold on Buffy. Just wait a minute. Were you two just kissing?"  
  
"Yes, we were. Lestat, we need to talk. Not now, but later. You know, after we go to the hospital to check on the guys and Dawn." She walked up to him and reached out to touch his face. He let her and she stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingers. His skin was living marble to her touch.  
  
"All right ma cher, we will talk." Lestat answered softly.  
  
They walked out and started towards the hospital. Lucky for her, Restifield Cemetery and Weatherly Park were both on her way to the Sunnydale Medical Center. They only ran into one vamp who was just popping out of his grave. Buffy staked him quick and walked on. They walked all the way to the hospital in silence. When they arrived at the emergency room, Buffy interrogated the nurse for the rooms that Xander, Willow and Dawn were taken to. It took her a few rounds with the nurse to convince her that Dawn Summers was her sister because Buffy had no identification with her to prove otherwise. Finally, with a little mind play from Lestat, the nurse told them what room Dawn was holed up in.  
  
"212, 213, 214…here it is, 215! The nurse said this was Dawn's room." Buffy said, knocking lightly on the door. She walked in while Angel and Lestat waited outside. "Dawnie?" Buffy called lightly.  
  
"Buffy, are you ok?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yeah, but you shouldn't be asking me that."  
  
"I'm fine. The doctor said that I have a very small concussion and a small loss of blood. I got 12 stitches in the cut on my forehead. It's not me you should be worried about though."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Xander is real bad Buffy. Right after we walked out and got to Spike's car, he collapsed and hit his head hard on the pavement."  
  
"Oh God, Xander!"  
  
"The doctor said Willow and I can go home tonight, but Xander has to stay here."  
  
"What did you tell the doctor had happened to you all?"  
  
"Spike told them that we had been in an accident. The doctors tried to check him, but he got mad at them and went to the waiting room to wait for you. Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Can I go home now?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll tell Angel to come in here and talk with you and help get you signed out. I want to see Xander."  
  
"Ok. Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you and I'm sorry that I got captured."  
  
"Oh Dawnie, that wasn't you're fault. You're not the key anymore and even if Sucher had known that, he wouldn't have wanted you anyway."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He just wanted vengeance on the ones who killed Glory."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'll be back to get you." She kissed Dawn on her head, the side that wasn't patched up, and walked out. "Angel, can you go in there and watch her. If the doctor comes, tell him I'll be right back. I'm going to go see Xander."  
  
"All right." He said and walked into the room.  
  
"Lestat, you come with me. I may need a little mind persuasion to get in to see Xander."  
  
They walked a little ways to the elevators and went up to the third floor where the intensive care patients were. Buffy walked up to the mean looking nurse behind the half-moon circle desk thing.  
  
"Hi. Can you tell me what room Alexander Harris is in please?" she asked as brightly and as politely as she could.  
  
"Visiting hours are over with, come back tomorrow." The nurse stated blandly.  
  
"I need to get in to see him. He is my…cousin, and I need to see him. I was told that he was hurt really bad."  
  
"I told you already…" she looked at Lestat and immediately softened. "He is in room 319 dear. You can stay as long as you need to dear."  
  
"Thank you very much." Buffy replied as she walked down to room 319. When she got to the door, she peeked in the window first. There Xander was, lying in a hospital bed attached to tiny wires and IVs. He looked terrible! He was incredibly pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. One eye was swollen almost all the way shut. His arm was in a white cast from the hand to just before the elbow. He was conscious however because he looked out the window at her and smiled weakly. Buffy opened the door and walked in.  
  
"Don't you know that hospital's aren't good for your health?" she asked softly and jokingly.  
  
"Not in your line of work." Xander replied hoarsely.  
  
"Xander, I am so sorry I wasn't there sooner. I tried, but they said if I came any earlier that they would kill you and Willow and change Dawn."  
  
"Hey Champ, don't worry about it. I'm as strong as an ox, I'll live. Hey, we've defiantly survived worse, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, we sure have." Buffy sat down in the chair next to his bed and leaned forward to hold his hand.  
  
"You couldn't have showed this much affection towards me sophomore year?" he asked looking at her with his good eye.  
  
"No, it would have destroyed your record for being dumped the most times in one lifetime."  
  
"You're so funny that I forgot to laugh."  
  
"I try."  
  
He smiled at her and then looked over at the door where Lestat stood. "Hey man, bring some healing mind mojo over this way."  
  
"I wish I could." Lestat said.  
  
"Ah, you're no good." When Lestat looked down a little hurt Xander added quickly, "I was just messin' with you."  
  
"I know, but you said Mojo."  
  
"So?"  
  
"That's his dog Xander. Lestat left him with this old lady at his old apartment building in New Orleans." Buffy cut in.  
  
"I knew that."  
  
Buffy lightly smacked him on the arm and playfully threatened him with a fist. "Don't make me use violence."  
  
"I give, I'm no match for you. Really, I'm not."  
  
Just then Willow walked in. She was a little bruised around the neck and left side of her face, but Buffy still couldn't figure out where she had been cut at. Why had there been so much blood on her shirt?  
  
"Hey Xand." Willow said, breaking Buffy's train of confusing questions.  
  
"Willow, can I see you in the hall?" Buffy asked standing up and taking the other girl by the arm into the hallway corridor.  
  
"Willow, why was there so much blood on your shirt earlier?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh, I got cut real bad."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"On the front of my shoulder."  
  
"Let me see."  
  
Willow pulled down her shirt collar to reveal a huge gauze pad covering most of her right shoulder. There was a little blood staining the bandage towards the middle of it.  
  
"Willow! How did that happen?" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"Well, the vamps were having their fun with us and one had a big knife, or maybe it was a sword. I don't know, but anyway, this vamp ran it across my shoulder really hard and cut me all up. Why were you so worried about it Buff?" the red head answered.  
  
"I couldn't see where the blood was coming from and I thought that maybe a vamp had bit you and turned you into one of them just to spite me."  
  
"Why would they do that?"  
  
"They told Spike that they were going to kill you and Xander and change Dawn. When I saw you I thought that maybe they had changed their minds and changed you."  
  
"God no Buffy. I wouldn't accept the blood it would have offered me. I don't want to be a vampire Buffy. I want to be human Willow. Besides, we all know what I would be like as a vampire."  
  
"I remember. But hey, at least now you wouldn't have any trouble with the gay thing like you did when we met vampy Willow."  
  
"That's a plus!"  
  
The two girls laughed and hugged each other.  
  
"Willow, I don't know what I would do if I lost you. Any of you. Willow, when we get home, I need to talk to you. I have the best news to tell you. Right now, I'm going to go check on Spike. He was pretty banged up and I want to thank him for helping you all. I'll be back."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Buffy walked off down the hall and to the elevators. Willow walked back into Xander's room.  
  
"Hey Will, where's Buffy?" Xander asked.  
  
"She went to check on Spike and thank him for helping us." Willow responded.  
  
"Oh, ok. Is she coming back?"  
  
"Yeah. She doesn't want to miss the opportunity to make fun of you in the hospital again."  
  
"Yeah, she couldn't miss that chance." Xander chuckled.  
  
  
  
"Hey." Buffy said to Spike when she walked in.  
  
"Is Boy Wonder going to be ok?" he asked as she walked up to him.  
  
"Yeah. The doctor said that he has to stay here overnight, just for observation."  
  
"What about Little Bits and Red?"  
  
"They can go home as soon as we leave here."  
  
"That's good. How are you?"  
  
"I'm good. Spike, thank you for helping us tonight. You really came through, even if you were knocked out for most of the night."  
  
"I was not. But, yeah ok, you're welcome. Can I go up to see Boy…Xander?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess you can. I need to go get my sister and Angel. He's staying with her and the doctor until I get back to check her out. I guess Willow is all checked out."  
  
"Ok, let's go."  
  
They walked back to the elevator and pushed the button. When the doors closed behind them Buffy said: "I hate hospitals." Spike just chuckled. The elevator went up quick and Buffy got off on the second floor.  
  
"He's third floor, room 319." She said to Spike as the doors started to close. Buffy headed towards Dawn's room down the hall. When she got there, Dawn was dressed and the doctor was in there doing his last check up. Angel was sitting in the chair by the bed.  
  
"Hey Dawn."  
  
"Hey Buffy" her sister answered. "The doctor says I can leave now."  
  
"Hello Miss Summers. Your sister looks good. I need to write a prescription for her head. She is going to have some bad headaches in the next couple of days. Other than that, bring her back in about a week to get these stitches taken out. I'm Dr. Cruise by the way. No relation to Tom."  
  
"Darn, I was going to ask you for his number." Buffy said jokingly.  
  
"Are you ok Miss Summers? Your arm looks pretty bad. Were you in the same wreck or another?"  
  
"Oh, this?" Buffy asked, eyes widening. "Um…"  
  
"She was admiring my collection of swords that Dawn and I were telling you about. She picked up one and cut herself by accident when the phone rang." Angel said quickly.  
  
"Yup, that's exactly what happened. It's nothing, just stings a little. It'll be healed by tomorrow. I heal fast. Really fast. Um, Dawn are you ready to go?" Buffy said fast. She didn't want to stay here and get examined by this joker of a doctor.  
  
"Yeah, let's get out of here and go see Xander."  
  
"All right. Follow me to my office and I'll get you that prescription." Dr. Cruise said.  
  
They all filed out of the room led by Dr. Cruise. Buffy and Angel brought up the rear holding hands. Buffy griped his hand a little tightly because she hated hospitals. Besides, they had just passed the room where she had been in when Angel was Angelus and she had gotten really sick.  
  
As soon as Buffy had gotten the prescription and checked Dawn out, they headed up to Xander's room to get Willow and Lestat. The nurse gave them no trouble. Lestat's mind mojo was still working on her. They walked in the quiet and tense room.  
  
"Hey Xander, how you doing?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Been better."  
  
"Understandable."  
  
"So, Willow, Lestat, you guys ready to go?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah." Willow said.  
  
"Sorry to leave so soon Xander, but you know how much I hate hospitals." Buffy said.  
  
"I understand. I need my rest anyway. I'm going to need the strength to eat this hospital food in the morning." Xander retorted.  
  
They all said their goodbyes and left. As soon as they passed the nurse, she snapped out of her brain fog and stared at them coldly as they walked out. They reached the parking lot and split up. Willow, Dawn, Buffy, Angel, and Lestat went to Lestat's car while Spike went to his. The drive home was quiet. As soon as they reached the Summers' home, Dawn and Willow went upstairs to bed leaving Lestat, Buffy, and Angel in the living room.  
  
"Buffy?" Lestat asked.  
  
"I know, I know. We need to talk. Sit down." Buffy said, preparing herself. This was going to be a longer night than she had thought. 


	24. The Talk

Chapter 24  
  
"Ok, Buffy. Now that we're sat down, please tell me what is going on." Lestat said calmly. They were sitting around her dinging room table. She was at the head of it, Angel was to her right, and Lestat to her left. She had got them all a cup of coffee. While she and Angel slowly sipped theirs, Lestat just let it warm his hands while he looked between Buffy and Angel. He wasn't mad at her, or him for that matter. He should be, he knew this much, but wasn't he mad? Did he love Buffy this much already? He had loved so many mortals before her, why was SHE getting to him like she was?  
  
"I know that we, I have some explaining to do. At least you know Angel and I's history together, so we can skip that part. Which is a good thing because that would take the rest of the night."  
  
"Buffy, you're stalling." Lestat said patiently. This was really weird to him. She was the first mortal since Dora to meet him and not be afraid. Granted, Dora was not a vampire slayer like Buffy, but still. He would have to talk to Louis about this later, but now he wanted to know why he had found them kissing so passionately back at that warehouse.  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry. God, where to begin? This would have been so much easier if I had just stayed dead. Um, Lestat, I really don't know what to tell you. Do you want me to be straight forward and very blunt about this, or do you want me to be as gentle as possible?"  
  
"Be blunt Buffy, you always are."  
  
"Ok, the basis of this whole thing is… Angel proposed to me. It was back at the Magic Box earlier tonight when you went to your friends to get the sword. He said that he had been planning this for a while, or at least for about a month or so."  
  
"But what about his curse?"  
  
"My soul is bound to me. Like I told Buffy, apparently Conner was a big part of the binding. Willow was also a big help." Angel said softly.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked, whipping her head around to look at Angel.  
  
"Yes, the spell, it was different from the original. Maybe Ms. Calendar had something to do with that, I don't know. Maybe she was trying to make up for not telling us about the curse sooner." He said looking directly into Buffy's eyes the whole time.  
  
"Oh." She said, completely astonished at this news.  
  
"And you accepted his proposal?" Lestat asked, getting them back on the subject at hand.  
  
"Yes, of course I did. Lestat, you of all people should know that if an adventure came running at you, you would charge at the chance to take it head on. I would too, I always have. This is a situation like that. Angel is the only person that I have ever been truly happy with, even if it was for one brief but beautiful and loving moment. Now it can be for the rest of my really short life."  
  
*I can change that.* Lestat thought towards Buffy. She looked at him astounded that he could be so hurtful. He hadn't meant it to be hurtful. He only meant that she didn't have to be happy for a short time. He had the ability to change that; he could make her immortal, like him. She would be stronger than him and David put together. He would change her like he had changed David; he would give her all his blood to almost the last drop. She wouldn't feel the cravings for blood as mush as a fledgling would; she was much too strong already. This would make her even more powerful than Akasha or Mekare or Maharet. Her beauty would be even greater than it was now. *That is the most selfish thing to think of Lestat!* he thought to himself. Perhaps it was out of vanity or greed that her wanted to make her a vampire. She would be around forever, unkillable, for him to come to. She could be with her Angel that she so longed to be with, for the rest of eternity.  
  
When he looked back up she was still staring at him in astounded hurt. He hated to have been the cause for that look. He hated to be the one she was directing it to.  
  
"Lestat, can I see you outside for a moment? Angel, we'll be right back." Buffy said standing and grabbing Lestat by the arm to pull him out with her. He knew that she couldn't budge him, or at least he had thought that she couldn't. He was flabbergasted that Buffy had moved him against his will. He didn't state this, but he could see that she had seen his shock because she gave a small and grim smile. She led him to the kitchen door and took him outside, shutting the door behind them.  
  
"What did you mean by 'I can change that'? Was that a threat to take Angel away?" she asked, her anger showing through in her eyes.  
  
"No, it was not a threat." He answered her calmly with his eyes downcast as if in shame.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"I…" he stopped because he didn't know how to explain what he had been thinking to himself. There was a great possibility that she would refuse. She knew what a vampire was, she knew what the making of one entailed. He knew that she had allowed Angel to drink from her. The only thing he didn't know was what she thought of his kind. He knew that she detested vampires, but when it came to a certain few she was fine. He was one of those few.  
  
"Lestat? You what?"  
  
"Do you like me?" he blurted.  
  
"What? Of course I like you. Lestat, I love you. Not like I love Angel, but I do love you."  
  
"I didn't me as a person, I meant me as a vampire."  
  
"Are you planning to switch bodies again to be human just to be with me? Cause that is stupid. You should know that I don't care if you're a vamp or a regular Joe. It's the soul I love."  
  
"No. Just answer me. Do you like me as a vampire?"  
  
"Yes. You're fine. Why?"  
  
"What do you think of my type of vampire?"  
  
"Your type? Where are you going with this?"  
  
"Answer me, please Buffy."  
  
"It's better than the alternative."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Yes, I like you're type of vampire! Do you remember what you said back at the Bronze earlier tonight?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you remember what you said? Answer."  
  
"Which part?"  
  
"I asked you when you were going to teach me to kill vampires in the blink of an eye. Then you said…"  
  
"'Not unless you want o be a vampire.' Then I left to go stake the others."  
  
"What you don't know is how much that appealed to me. At first I thought that it was just a relapse of wanting to die and go back to heaven, but then I thought about it. It plagued my mind all night. Lestat, I want to become your kind of vampire, but I couldn't because I have obligations to Dawn and to Willow and Xander. I couldn't become immortal and watch the people I love so much die off."  
  
"After I was changed, that's what I kept thinking about. What was to become of my mother, my father, my brothers, Niki, the actors at Renaud's? After a while it got better, I didn't worry about them as much. As long as I supplied them with the necessities they craved for, I was ok. I changed my mother because I was selfish and she was willing. I changed Niki because he had been angry with me that I had kept this 'gift' from him. Plus I was hungry and he was the only mortal close by."  
  
"I know, I read the book."  
  
"My point is: it'll get better. In time, if you want, you can change Dawn. Hell, if you want, you can change anyone you like. But I warn you; it won't be the same with them after a while. I've told you this through my books and I told you in New Orleans what it was like for me. It is like that with all vampires. They leave yes, but they do come back, even for a little while. They still love you and you still love them and everything is as it was before."  
  
"I understand all this, but they wouldn't take it. I'd be a vampire."  
  
"Yes, but you would be like Angel and I. You will keep your soul and double, no triple, no times your strength and agility and speed by ten! You'll be able to walk in the sun because you will have taken my blood."  
  
"I know! I want to, but I can't. Not unless I talked it over with Angel, Dawn, Xander, Willow, and most importantly Giles."  
  
"Then talk. I have an eternity you know." He smiled that gorgeous melt worthy smile. She smiled back and said, "I'll talk to them," then walked back in the house followed by Lestat. When they got back in, Angel was still sitting at the table. Buffy walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"We can all rest now. The sun is almost up and I'm tired. At least I don't have to work tomorrow." She said smiling.  
  
"All right. Where can I stay?" Angel asked.  
  
"The mansion? It may be a little dusty, but you still own it."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Besides, it's on the way to Lestat's house. He can walk you there. Or drive you. Whichever."  
  
"All right Buffy."  
  
They walked to the door and Buffy said her goodbyes. She went up to her bedroom and looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read 5:47. Wow, was she ever sleeping in tomorrow or what?! She slipped into a pair of big PJ pants with spa treatments and little sayings like "breath deep" and "relax" on them and a white tank top. She pulled back the covers and laid down pulling the covers back up. *To be a vampire or not to be a vampire, that is the question.* she thought. She lifted her left hand and looked at her ring. *To be with Angel for all eternity, or not?* This is going to be hard. She was going to talk to everyone about it eventually. Right now however, she was drifting off to sleep and dreams of life with Angel for all eternity. Maybe she could see if Lestat could change Angel into his type of vampire somehow. Mmm, wouldn't that be nice? 


	25. Dinner with Friends and Family

Chapter 25  
  
Buffy woke up Friday morning to a lot of hustle and bustle from Willow and Dawn to get out of the house and go to school and their lives. She had just thrown the covers over her head and went back to sleep. When she awoke again that afternoon for the second time, there was no one home. Dawn was in school and Willow probably had class right about now. Buffy sat up and rubbed her face before turning to look at the clock. It read 2:18. She threw the covers off of her and tossed her legs over the side of the bed. Buffy stood up and stretched. She was smiling as she walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some brunch. The house was quite for the first time since Wednesday. Xander had gotten out of the hospital and they had thrown a little party in his honor. Things had gone well, even the talks she had had with both Lestat and Angel. They were working through this and Lestat was giving Buffy his blessings last night on patrol. Although he was the only one other than her and Angel who knew about them at the moment, Buffy was happy. She was going to tell everyone about it and put up that question about her being a vampire to everyone, including Angel.  
  
Buffy padded into the living room and sat down on the overstuffed couch and turned on the TV. The first thing that popped up was cartoons. She smiled and flipped through the channels to see if the news was on. After going through all the channels twice to make sure that the news hadn't been on a commercial, she turned the TV off and went upstairs to get dressed. She put on a simple pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. As she was headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth, she changed her mind and grabbed a red zip up jacket with three quarter sleeves. The sky was kind of overcast and it looked like it might rain, she was taking no chances.  
  
By the time she left the house it was almost 3:00. Dawn would be on her way home and Buffy intended to go pick her up and hang with her. Buffy remembered her 21st birthday and how Dawn and her had talked about Dawn thinking that no one was paying attention to her. Buffy had made a promise to herself to fix that. She was going to spend as much time with Dawn as humanly possible in Buffy's case. Buffy trotted at a fast pace to the new high school. It was a block or two away from the old one that Buffy and crew had blown up on graduation day. When she got there, teenagers were milling around on the front lawn. Buffy stood on tiptoe and searched the crowd for her sister. There she was, over by that tree talking to a guy. *Hmm,* Buffy thought, *she's got charm.* Buffy walked casually up to Dawn.  
  
"Hey." Buffy said. Dawn turned around to look at her sister.  
  
"Hey Buffy. What are you doing here?" Dawn asked surprised.  
  
"I came to get you. Do you want to go to the Espresso Pump for a while and hang with me?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Oh, Buffy, this is Todd. Todd, this is my older sister Buffy." Dawn said.  
  
"Hi, nice to meet you." Buffy said shaking his hand. He was looking her up and down. Buffy just stood there acting completely oblivious. She was used to this stuff by now.  
  
"Yeah, you too." Todd said.  
  
"Ok, you ready Dawn?" Buffy asked trying hard not to smack this guy.  
  
"Yeah, ok. Bye Todd, see you tomorrow." Dawn said, walking away with Buffy.  
  
"So, how was school?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It was, well it was school. You remember how that was."  
  
"Yup, sure do. It was hell. Literally though."  
  
"HA! Yeah, that's school. So, Espresso Pump? Why are you being all nice and hang-outy with me?"  
  
"You're my sister and you once told me that I haven't spent enough time with you. So, here we are, with time. Besides, I have something to tell you."  
  
"Oh, big juicy secret from the big sis! Way cool."  
  
They arrived at the Espresso Pump about five minutes later and ordered their drinks. Buffy led Dawn over to their favorite table and sat down.  
  
"Ok, Buffy we're here. Start talking." Dawn inquired, sipping her triple foam, mint cappuccino.  
  
"All right, here goes. There's actually two things I wanted to talk to you about and they kind of tie into each other here. So you know, bear with me. Ok?" Buffy said uneasily.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Go on."  
  
"Ok, the first things is," Buffy lifted her left hand and showed Dawn the ring. "Do you recognize this Dawn?"  
  
"Yeah, of course I do. Angel gave that to you on your seventeenth birthday. I thought that you lost it."  
  
"So did I. Do you remember how I thought I had lost it?"  
  
"Yeah, um, you went to say goodbye to Angel with it when you thought he was dead. At the, um, mansion right. That was just before you found out he was back."  
  
"Right."  
  
"So then, why is it back and on your finger?"  
  
"Ok, first, Angel found it when he fell from the hell dimension. He kept it all this time. Now, second answer: Angel asked me to marry him and I accepted."  
  
"Oh my God Buffy! Are you serious? Congratulations! Does this mean Angel is coming back to Sunnydale?"  
  
"Yes; thank you; and I don't know. We haven't really discussed that far into it yet."  
  
"This is too cool. Hey, wait a minute. Angel has his curse still right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then how can you two get married without him going, GRRR again?"  
  
"His soul is bound to him. He said that he went to Lorne and sang for him after he got a major happy, not that kind of happy, while he was watching me hold Conner."  
  
"Oh. Oh, this is great Buffy! You so deserve this!"  
  
"Thank you. Now about the second thing…"  
  
"Hey guys!" Willow said coming up to the Espresso Pump and joining them.  
  
"Hey Wills." Buffy said.  
  
"Are you going to tell her Buffy, or can I?" Dawn asked anxiously.  
  
"Tell me what?" Willow asked.  
  
"Only that Angel popped the question to Buffy and she accepted. Show Willow the ring Buffy!" Dawn said, not giving Buffy the chance to even start to tell. Buffy, stuck in the metaphorical corner, held up her left hand and showed Willow.  
  
"Wow! Buffy congratulations! Where is Angel, I want to tell him congrats too." Willow said, pulling her best friend into a bear hug that might have crushed her if she hadn't been the slayer. But as quickly as Willow had grabbed her, she let go and drew back in confusion. "What about Lestat? I thought you two… you know, were a thing."  
  
"We were a 'thing', but we talked it over and now I have his blessings. He and I are really good friends now." Buffy said calmly.  
  
"Oh. Oh, wow. That easy huh?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yup, that easy." Buffy said slowly smiling.  
  
"So what was that second thing Buffy?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Hmm, oh, um, nothing. I'll talk to you later about that. I want to go see Xander and tell him the great news. Then I'm going to go see my groom- to-be."  
  
"Are you sure? I mean, you didn't finish your frappuccino. And I thought we were going to hang out."  
  
"Sorry Dawn. Hey listen, how about tonight Angel and I make dinner and we all sit down and have a nice family thing? Of course family in our case would mean Xander, Tara, and Lestat. How's that sound?"  
  
"Ok, yeah. I'll see you later then Buffy." Dawn said waving to her sister.  
  
"Bye Buffy!" Willow called.  
  
Buffy waved back at them and kept on going towards Xander's place. It took her a good 30 minutes to get there from the Espresso Pump, but hey, she loved to walk. When she got there she looked up into Xander's window. She saw him pass by the window. Good, he was home. She jogged up the steps, taking them two at a time, and knocked on his door. He opened after the second bought of knocks.  
  
"Hey Buffy. My you look chippery!" Xander said. "Come on in." He stood back to let her in.  
  
"Hey Xand. Yes and I have good reason to be chippery. Would you like to know why?" Buffy asked, sitting down next to Xander on his couch.  
  
"Of course. I have a right to know what causes such a smile on this beautiful face."  
  
"Ok, here goes. Don't get mad." He shook his head no and she continued. "I'm getting married."  
  
"Wow Buff! Wow, wow, wow. It's a little soon, but wow. Congratulations!"  
  
"It's not with Lestat."  
  
"Whoa! What? If it ain't with him, then who? Wait, is Willow doing spells again? Did she make you and Spike think that you two are getting married again? Listen to me Buffy, you do not love Spike. You are not getting married to Spike. Do you comprehend?"  
  
"Yes, your coming in loud and clear Xander. No Willow is not doing spells again, and no, it's not Spike. Ew, it is defiantly not Spike!"  
  
"Phew, that's good. Ok, then who?"  
  
"Angel."  
  
"Oh, that's great. Wait, what!? Angel? As in I-have-a-curse-and-one-true- monment-of-happiness-will-turn-me-evil-again Angel?"  
  
"Not anymore." Buffy was still smiling and this creeped Xander out a little.  
  
"Not anymore? Did you two get groiny and he's gone bad and he's drove you to insanity?"  
  
"No. His soul is bound to him. He found it out a little while ago. Well, actually about a month or two ago. I was up visiting him and Conner and Angel had a little moment of happiness and he freaked and left. When he came back, he was fine. After I left, he went to see Lorne and Lorne saw that his soul wouldn't leave him ever again. That having Conner was the final step to binding his soul to him. And trust me when I say that we've defiantly tested this."  
  
"Wow. I am kind of happy for you. I still don't like him. You know this right?"  
  
"Of course I know. Another thing, do you want to come to dinner tonight at my house?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. What time?"  
  
"6:00 work?"  
  
"Yup. See you then." Buffy had gotten up and walked to the door. She was on her way out as he said that last part. All the way to Angel's mansion she had a huge grin on her face. She had loved the look that Xander had given her when she had told him that her and Angel had put the soul thing to the test. Oh they had all right! Last night during patrol they couldn't keep their hands off each other! It was just like it had been before Angel had lost his soul. They had cut patrol early and headed back to the mansion. There they had gone for five hours straight. Buffy was glad that she was the slayer, cause she probably would be walking really funny right now if she wasn't. This thought made her smile even wider and put a lively step in her walk. After about 45 minutes to an hour, she arrived at the mansion. She came in through the gardens and walked through the curtains. There was a fire going in the fireplace but no Angel around.  
  
"Angel?" she called softly. When no answer came a tiny swell of fear arose in her. She walked to the kitchen, but no one was there. Buffy sighed to calm herself and walked to Angel's bedroom door. She opened it silently and peeked in. There he was, sleeping peacefully with a smile as wide as hers had been on his face. Buffy could only guess what he was dreaming about. She walked up to the bed and silently slipped her shoes and jacket off and slipped into the bed next to him. She laid her arms over his broad chest and put her chin on her hands that were flattened down. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at who had intruded on his obviously wonderful dream.  
  
"Is this part of my dream, cause I've got to admit, it's getting better and better by the minute." He said.  
  
"No, this is not a dream. I'm the real thing."  
  
"Even better." He said grabbing her by her waist and pulling her up and on top of him. She smiled and laid her head on his bare chest.  
  
"What kinds of food can you cook?" she asked.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"What kinds of food can you cook? I can't cook as well as mom could, but I can cook somethings."  
  
"I don't know. Why?"  
  
"Cause I told Dawn and Willow and Xander that we were going to cook for them tonight."  
  
"Oh. Well, um, what can you cook?"  
  
"Anything that comes in a box and breakfast."  
  
"Oh, do you need to go to the store?"  
  
"Yeah. Wanna come?"  
  
"I can't, it's day light."  
  
"Not the way it looks outside. It looks like it might start to rain, but it's not ruining my day!"  
  
"Let's go see if I can go with you."  
  
They got up and Angel put on his shoes, a pair of black pants and a silk, dark blue shirt, to Buffy's disappointment, and went to the door. She had been right, it was just overcast enough for him to run to his car and hop in without too much damage. They drove to the store and parked close enough for him to get out like a normal person. Buffy was loving this! She and Angel were grocery shopping together! Like two people who were in love and nothing was abnormal about them.  
  
They walked up and down the aisles looking at cans of food and deciding what would be best to make for everyone. After a while they decided to put everything up and go for something a little more simpler. Buffy ran to the aisle with the chicken and got three packs of chicken breasts, each had three in it.  
  
"This should be enough right? I mean we have you, me, Xander, Tara, Willow, Dawn, and Lestat." Buffy said when she returned with her packages.  
  
"Yeah, that should be enough."  
  
"Did you get the pasta?"  
  
"Yup. And I got the sauce, garlic free, and the cheese. What's missing?"  
  
"The bread and dessert. Should we do the bread in a box, or buy a loaf of French bread and put garlic butter on it?"  
  
"Um, Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah? Oh! Sorry, forgot about that for a minute there. Um, how about French bread with regular butter?"  
  
"All right. I'm cool with that."  
  
"What about dessert?"  
  
"What do you like?"  
  
"I don't know, what do you like?"  
  
"I have no clue. No wonder we're soul mates!"  
  
"Yeah, you're telling me! Let's grab a blackberry cobbler in the frozen food section and then get the hell outta here."  
  
"Fine by me."  
  
They head towards the bread aisle and picked up a loaf of French bread. Then they headed over to the frozen food aisle and picked up a frozen blackberry cobbler. Angel pushed the cart to the express lane with Buffy by his side and they paid for their load. By the time the two got outside the sun was starting it's long process of setting, or so Buffy guessed. The sky was even more cloudy than before. Buffy loaded the trunk while Angel sat in the car. When they arrived at her house, they had an hour and a half until Xander was due to arrive.  
  
"I forgot about Tara and Lestat!" Buffy exclaimed rushing to the phone. Angel started the water for the pasta and unwrapped the chicken.  
  
"Buffy, where's the oil?" Angel called from the kitchen.  
  
"Hold on Tara. It's in the counter above the breadbox! Ok, we'll see you in a little while. Bye Tara." Buffy hung up and dialed Lestat's number. After the third ring, he picked up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Lestat? It's Buffy."  
  
"Oh, bon soir Buffy! How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you. What are you doing at 6:00 tonight?"  
  
"Eating dinner at your house."  
  
"How'd you…"  
  
"Mind reader."  
  
"Over the phone?"  
  
"Buffy, I can hear what a man is thinking in Asia if I wanted to."  
  
"Oh, right. Ok, well I have to go help Angel out in the kitchen. I'll see you later."  
  
"Au revoir ma cher."  
  
Buffy hung up and went into the kitchen. Angel already had the chicken frying and the cobbler in the oven.  
  
"You are a god! You know that?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh, you're so smug! You know everything, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok, if you know everything, then what I am planning to do next?"  
  
"Hmm, I know! You're going to get the pan ready for the chicken."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"You're going to get the pan, the cheese, and the sauce ready for the chicken."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Ok, then what?"  
  
"This." Buffy grabbed Angel by the shirtfront and dragged him in front of the basement door. She slammed him against it and kissed him, hard. He kissed back hungrily and pulled her closer. She started to take his shirt off, but the front door slammed and Willow and Dawn walked in.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow called.  
  
"Ugh! In here!" Buffy said groaning. Angel smiled at her and mouthed "After dinner."  
  
"Hey! What are you making?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Chicken parmesan, pasta, bread, and blackberry cobbler." Buffy answered.  
  
"Mmm, I'm hungry already." Willow said. "I'm going to go upstairs and change. Tara's coming, right?"  
  
"Yes, Tara is coming." Buffy said.  
  
"Cool." Willow left and Dawn followed saying that she was going to go freshen up.  
  
An hour later Xander, Tara, and Lestat had arrived and they were all seated around the dining room table, the remanents of their main course scattered on their plates.  
  
"I am so full!" Xander complained. "What's for dessert?"  
  
"God Xander! Where do you put all that stuff?" Buffy asked coming in followed by Angel. They were carrying little plates with heaping portions of the blackberry cobbler on them. Buffy and Angel passed them around and then sat down themselves.  
  
"This looks great Buffy." Tara said politely.  
  
"Ah, it was from a box. Besides, Angel did most of the work." Buffy answered.  
  
"That's ok. It still looks good no matter who made it." Willow piped up.  
  
"Yes, I agree with Willow." Tara said, glancing at her former.  
  
After they had all finished, they all sat around talking. Buffy stood up and cleared her throat.  
  
"Um, hi. There is only one person here who doesn't know the good news, so I'm going to tell. I've always wanted to do this. Angel and I would like to announce that we are getting married. Tara, we'll explain it all to you later." Buffy said.  
  
"Congratulations Buffy! And you two Angel!" Tara said getting up and hugging both of them.  
  
"Thanks." Buffy said. They all sat down except for Buffy. "Um, there is also something I would like to ask you all about." She looked directly at Lestat and he knew what she was going to ask. "Um, Angel, you have to promise not to get mad. You all have to promise me this."  
  
"Buffy, what are you trying to say?" Angel asked, nervous that she was going to take back her answer about marrying him.  
  
"The other night, Lestat and I were talking about him, um, changing me into a vampire." Buffy said the last part in a rush. They all stared at her stunned. After a while Angel stood up and looked at her with that tortured look.  
  
"Buffy, what is the matter with you? Have you gone insane?"  
  
"No. I'm serious. Lestat can explain everything to you, but I'll be different. I want need the blood if Lestat changes me."  
  
"Buffy, I want to see you in the kitchen." Angel said taking Buffy by the arm and taking her into the kitchen. 


	26. Wants

Chapter 26  
  
"Buffy, what the hell is going on here?" Angel asked as soon as they had reached the kitchen.  
  
"I wanted to do it for you. I wanted to do it so I could be with you for the rest of time." Buffy said. She felt so confused and lost that seeing the hurt on Angel's face was making her cry. "I love you Angel."  
  
"I love you too, but being changed into a vampire just to be with me is stupid. I love Buffy Summers just the way she is."  
  
"I know, and I'll be the same Buffy, only way more stronger and faster."  
  
"And you'll be a vampire."  
  
"It's different! I'll still have my soul. I won't become a killer. If I need blood, then I'll drink the same stuff you do."  
  
"Buffy, you'll be a demon!"  
  
"No, I won't."  
  
"Don't you understand Buffy? I want Buffy Summers the vampire SLAYER, not Buffy Summers the VAMPIRE."  
  
"I'm stupid Angel! I should have known you would have reacted this way. I'm so lost Angel. There are times when I just want a release from having to play mommy to Dawn, and being the slayer, and being Buffy, the home owner!"  
  
"I understand that that is a lot to deal with, but you'll get through. You always get through Buffy. And this time, I'll be here to help you along. And you are not stupid."  
  
"But don't you think it would be neat just to be able to be with me for the rest of eternity? You wouldn't have to worry about watching me get older and you staying the same age you are now. You wouldn't have to watch me die. I'd be the same old Buffy, only, you know, stronger, faster, and much more graceful Buffy."  
  
"I'm perfectly satisfied by this Buffy standing in front of me. I remember you telling me about something you had told Riley."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"That you didn't care if Riley was a super hero with super strength, you wanted regular, everyday Riley. Well, that's how I want you Buffy. I want regular, super hero, everyday Buffy. And that's not even the person I fell in love with. I fell in love with your soul as you did me. I never cared that you're the slayer and I believe that I told you that once a few years ago."  
  
"I understand what you're saying, but maybe it's what I want."  
  
"What you want? You want to become a demon?"  
  
"Not a demon, a… a…"  
  
"A vampire. A vampire is a demon no matter how you look at it Buffy."  
  
"He's right." Lestat said behind Buffy. He had come into the kitchen sometime before and heard most of Angel's argument.  
  
"What? It was your idea!" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"He's right Buffy. I was selfish to want to change you. I have to tell you that it was more for my benefit to change you."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"First off, I was curious as to what would happen if I changed someone as powerful as you just as I was curious with Claudia. I wanted to see what would happen if I changed one that young, and I wanted to see what would happen if I changed the slayer. Second of all, I wanted someone that I could talk to. It gets quite lonely Buffy, being a vampire. You watch the ones you've known grow old and die; yet you keep on going. You're the first person I've ever met that I can carry a conversation with all night long and still want to talk some more. I never really had that with David, Louis, Gabrielle, or Claudia. I'm sorry about this Buffy. I never meant to hurt you or confuse you enough to make you want this!" Lestat gestured him with his hands and looked hard at Buffy.  
  
"I was just a science experiment? To see what would happen?"  
  
"In a way yes."  
  
"Why? How?"  
  
"I don't know. Buffy, I hate that I did this to you. I want so much to take it all back."  
  
"Yeah, well guess what. You can't!" With that Buffy left. She just walked out the door and left.  
  
"Angel, if it is any consolation, I am truly, truly sorry." Lestat said.  
  
"Save it. You put these absolutely insane ideas in my fiance's head! Now she is gone and severely pissed off. With Buffy, that is never a good thing." Angel said coldly. He walked into the dining room and looked at everyone.  
  
"Hey Angel, is every thing ok?" Willow asked.  
  
"Not really, no. Buffy left. Lestat told her about being a vampire and it appealed to her. That's the basis of it. Maybe she'll tell you later, but right now we need to find her before she does something stupid." Angel said.  
  
"All right. Let's go." Dawn said.  
  
"No. Dawn, you stay here with Lestat. You don't need to be out wandering the streets at this hour. And I don't care how old you are, as Buffy's hopefully soon to be husband, I am in charge here and you're going to stay put. Got it?"  
  
"Yes Daddy." Dawn said dryly.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
  
  
Buffy knocked on the crypt door. After the second knock, Spike opened up.  
  
"Buffy? What are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
"I want to talk to you." She answered without looking up or waiting to be invited in. She walked in and sat down on the chair in front of the TV.  
  
"All right." He said, following her in and shutting the door. "What's up? Have you been crying?"  
  
"Yes, is it that noticeable?"  
  
"Here." Spike handed her a handkerchief and allowed her to clean her face up.  
  
"Thanks." She handed the handkerchief back and he tossed it on the TV set.  
  
"Ok, what's on your mind that got you so upset luv?"  
  
"Well, a lot of things actually. It pretty much all started that night at the Bronze. You know, when we first met Sucker. Lestat said something to me that really got me thinking. He didn't do it intentionally, but he didn't realize that one little phrase can me thinking hard for days at a time. I guess I got that from Angel." She paused and looked down. Spike wanted to push her a little to make her get her story out. No matter how much she hated it, he loved her and he loved her enough to know to give her space, to let her get things out on her own. That was the Buffy Summers way and they both knew it. He sat down on the arm beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. They sat there for a few minutes in silence. Spike, waiting as patiently as possible. He was used to waiting and being patient.  
  
"Do you like me the way I am?" she asked suddenly, startling Spike out of his reverie.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Do you like me the way I am?" she repeated.  
  
"Yes, of course I do. You know I do. Why?"  
  
"Would you care if I changed? A lot?"  
  
"Depends on the change."  
  
"How about a vampire change?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's what Lestat said to me. I said 'when are you going to teach me to do that?' after he had staked like three or four vampires in the blink of an eye. And do you know what he replied?"  
  
"No."  
  
"He said 'not unless you want to be a vampire.' That's what he said. And it got me thinking, you know? And we talked about it. He told me that I would be different from any vampire, your kind or his. I would be stronger, faster, more graceful, and prettier. I wouldn't need the blood to live. Yes, I would crave it, but I could make it through the cravings, just like you and Angel do. I would be pretty much unkillable! The only way to kill would be to cut off my head. He told me all this early Wednesday morning, after we got back from the hospital. And I've been thinking about it ever since. And tonight, I told everyone what was on my mind, just like they've been trying to get me to do. Angel flipped and we had an argument. I think the guys are a little mad at me for thinking this stuff. But do you know what the worst part was? Lestat told me that he was curious and lonely. That it would have all been just to see what would happen if he changed a slayer as powerful as me! He wanted someone that he could come and talk to for the rest of eternity. He said it was all for selfish reasons!"  
  
She started to cry again, even harder than before. He didn't know what to say, but he did know what to do. He put his strong arms around her and just held her. She sobbed into his shoulder about how she had wanted to do it for Angel. She wanted to do it to keep Angel happy for the rest of eternity. She wanted to do it so she wouldn't be afraid of dying again anymore. She wanted to do it so she wouldn't have to put everybody through that hurt of losing her again. All of her reasons came out unselfish reasons and Spike saw why this whole ordeal had hurt her. She had wanted to do it for everyone else instead of for herself and then Lestat had told her that it was for selfish reasons of his own. He wasn't going to change her for her; he was going to change her for him. If Spike could kill Lestat right then, he would, but he couldn't. He hated to see his slayer like this. He hoped that she didn't think that he was taking this whole thing for granted.  
  
"Spike?" Buffy said suddenly into his shoulder. She had stopped sobbing, but she was still crying.  
  
"Yes luv?"  
  
"I don't want them to find me. I don't want them to see me right now. I would be too embarrassed to talk to them." She looked up into his bluish- green eyes. "Hide me Spike."  
  
"All right luv. I won't let them find you." He picked her up and took her to the bed downstairs. Even though it had been blown up, he had got new mattresses and sheets for it. Her laid her down and then sat on the bed beside her. She lay on her stomach and looked up at him.  
  
"You know that I'm not going to do you right now, right?"  
  
"I wouldn't dream of letting you. Sleep now. If they come here looking, I turn them away. Tell 'em I didn't see you at all."  
  
"Good." She yawned. Her eyelids started to flutter shut and soon she had drifted off to sleep. He leaned over her and picked up the covers. Spike kissed her lightly on the forehead and covered her small, sleeping form up. Then he went upstairs silently as he could and sat down to read a book. They would definitely come here asking him if he had seen Buffy and he would tell them to sod off. He hadn't seen her. He didn't know how long she was here to stay, but he was certainly going to make the best of it and prove to Buffy that Lestat was not the one for her, or Angel for that matter. Soul mates, shmoul mates! He loved her and he was going to prove it to her by being a gentleman and not pushing her for what he wanted.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do." He said to himself. 


	27. Running Away and Coming Back

Chapter 27  
  
When Buffy awoke, she had no clue what time it was and how long she had been there. She scanned the area for a clock but didn't find one. She tossed her legs over the bed and shot out of it. She climbed up the ladder to Spike's crypt and opened the heavy door.  
  
"Spike?" she called quietly in case someone was here other than the vampire.  
  
"Buffy? You awake? Boy, when you sleep, you really sleep!" Spike said coming over to the door to help Buffy out.  
  
"How long was I out?"  
  
"It's almost nighttime. You really conked out there luv."  
  
"Wow! Did anyone come looking for me?"  
  
"Yeah, Willow and Xander came by, then Angel. Buffy, why is Angel here? I thought he would have left by now. Lestat never came by. Some boyfriend he is!" Spike led Buffy to a sarcophagus and they climbed on top of it and sat down.  
  
"Oh, right, you don't know. Probably because I haven't seen you in a while."  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Only that Angel and I are getting married."  
  
"What!? What about Lestat?"  
  
"We broke up and he gave Angel and I his blessings. We talked about it for a while and, here we are."  
  
"What does Giles and the others think about all this?"  
  
"Giles doesn't know, yet, and the others are cool with it."  
  
"What about Nancy Boy's curse? Not that I don't like the bloke, but I really don't want Angelus around again. For your sake I mean."  
  
"Neither do I, but we don't have to worry about that anymore. His soul is bound to him. We aren't exactly sure on all the details, but according to Lorne, Conner was a major part of it. So was Willow and Miss Calendar. The spell Willow did was different from the original."  
  
"Oh, so you're getting your kicks from Angel now?" Spike asked snaking a hand towards Buffy's thigh. She slapped it away.  
  
"Spike, not now, not ever. I told you that that is all over." Buffy hopped off the sarcophagus and headed towards the phone.  
  
"What are you doing?" Spike asked.  
  
"Calling home." She said dialing her number. After the third ring, Angel picked up.  
  
"Hello?" Came the voice that could melt Buffy's heart.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Buffy? Where are you? We searched all night for you. Are you ok?"  
  
"Yes; Spike's crypt; yes."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The answers to your questions are yes. Spike's crypt, and yes."  
  
"Oh. Why are you there? When did you get there? We looked there twice."  
  
"Whoa, is this put Buffy on the grill day? I'm fine Angel, I… I was just embarrassed and a little pissed off, that's all. I needed to get out of there and talk to someone."  
  
"Did it have to be Spike? Why didn't you talk to me Buffy?"  
  
"Because… you know what, never mind. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Buffy, wait."  
  
"I've got to go. Love you." She hung up the phone before Angel could reply and turned to Spike. "He's a little confused and possibly angry with me that I came here to talk to you instead of him."  
  
"Sounds like Nancy Boy. So how is the old sire?"  
  
"He's fine. Look, I've got to go. I have to go home." She started out the door and began to shut it when she suddenly stopped and turned to face Spike. "Thank you Spike. For hiding me, that is. You're sweet for it. I owe you one. I know that I'm going to regret saying that, but I do owe you." Turning and shutting the door before Spike could react, she left.  
  
  
  
When Buffy got home, Angel was gone as was everyone else. She headed up the stairs to her bedroom, but stopped when she reached for the doorknob. Something was in her house. Buffy walked into Willow's room and reached into a bedside table's drawer to produce a nicely fashioned stake. She turned and walked back to her room and quietly as she could, opened the door. At a first glance, she could nothing but the normalcy of her room. Everything was as it had been when she had left it last, no one and nothing that she could see was in here. But there were places to hide. Buffy walked in and scanned the room. She shut the door to make sure that nothing could get by her and opened her closet door. She peeped around the corner and looked in.  
  
"You know, for a slayer, you sure do leave your blind spots wide open." Came a silky smooth voice behind her. She turned around at the speed of lightning and pinned the intruder against the wall. As she started to raise the stake in her hand, she recognized the interloper. It was Lestat looking completely caught off guard. She released his throat and allowed him to recover.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, trying to get yourself killed?" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"Not really, no. I came to see if you were here to say sorry." He retorted, rubbing his neck. "Gosh, how much strength do you carry around in that little body of yours?"  
  
"Sorry? You came to say sorry?"  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
"You know you really hurt me last night!"  
  
"I have a propensity to do that it seems. I really am sorry Buffy. And to make it up to you, I have something that would interest you very much, I think."  
  
"I have to get to Angel, we need to talk."  
  
"I understand, but please come with me, just for a little while."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"My house."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"There is someone that you once told me you would be somewhat interested in meeting."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Stop asking questions and come with me."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You shall see." Without her even registering what was happening, Lestat had picked her up and taken her out the window. Within minutes they were standing at Lestat's door. He led her up the stairs and into the secret study off his bedroom where he kept his coffin and a lot of his books. There on a chair in front of a little desk sat a very handsome fortyish- looking man. Buffy knew who he was immediately without really knowing consciously. It was Marius! Lestat had called Marius to him so she could meet him.  
  
"Marius, I would like you to meet Buffy Summers, the vampire slayer. Buffy, this is Marius." Lestat said as Marius got up and glided up to Buffy with his hand outstretched.  
  
"Hi." Buffy said as she took Marius's stone-like hand in hers and shook it.  
  
"Hello. My Lestat, you didn't emphasize her beauty enough. She is absolutely exquisite!" Marius declared.  
  
"No, I didn't did I?" Lestat said smiling at Buffy.  
  
"I can understand why you fell in love with her when you first saw her."  
  
"It wasn't just her beauty Marius. There was this… aura around her that drew me to her like a moth to a flame."  
  
"Yes, I see it."  
  
"Hi." Buffy said again. "Wow, you're REALLY different from Lestat's books."  
  
"Yes, I've been told this. Lestat has a knack for details, but he never quite gets his crux across completely."  
  
"No, he sure doesn't." Buffy and Marius laughed at this. "Can we go somewhere else? The whole coffin thing kinda creeps me out. I work around them too much!"  
  
"Certainly. Anywhere you like." Lestat said.  
  
"Angel's place? It's only a block away and I was headed there anyway." Buffy suggested.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Angel?" Marius asked.  
  
"My fiancé." Buffy replied plainly.  
  
"Oh, Angelus! Lestat told me about his encounter with him when he and I first met."  
  
"He's different now. He has his human soul."  
  
"Yes, Lestat mentioned that too."  
  
They headed out the door and walked down the street. Buffy and Marius talking all the way. When they reached the mansion, Buffy pulled out a key to Angel's front doors and turned the lock.  
  
"Angel?" Buffy called. "Angel, this is so amazing! You have to come meet Marius! Angel?" Buffy led them to Angel's living room, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who was sitting on her fiancé's couch. The guest pulled off his glasses, cleaned them off, and stood up. His brown air peppered with gray was in its usual style.  
  
"Hello Buffy." He said in his strong British accent.  
  
"G… Giles?" 


	28. Friends and Hapiness

Chapter 28  
  
"G…Giles?" Buffy said.  
  
"Hello Buffy. It's so good to see you." Her watcher said as he hugged her. She didn't hug back, she was too stunned. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Giles?"  
  
"Yes, it's me Buffy."  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Angel called me about what happened between Sucher and you. He also said that you and he had some news to tell me."  
  
"You left me."  
  
"I know, and I'm terribly sorry."  
  
"No! You left me. I needed you and you just left!"  
  
"Buffy…"  
  
"No! You can't just come back and expect things to be fine. You hardly ever called! I didn't know if you were de… if you… How could you not call me?"  
  
"Buffy, how many times do I have to apologize to you? I'm here now."  
  
"Yeah, now! I needed you so many times!" Buffy backed up and ran into Lestat as Giles took a step towards her. Lestat put a comforting hand on her shoulder to steady her. Giles reached out to touch her hair.  
  
"Don't!" she said to Giles. "You never even told me goodbye. You just up and left!"  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're hair?"  
  
"Nothing! Why did you come back now? Wait, no, because Angel called you and told you that there was a monster after us and it took my friends and my sister. You needed the slayer to protect you, right?"  
  
"It's nothing like…"  
  
"No, it is something like that. Xander was in the hospital! He could have died! Now you just come back out of nowhere and assume that I'm going to be fine? No, it's not going to happen like this. Giles, I love you, but it isn't that simple. You did to me what three other guys did to me in the past. You left me!"  
  
"Buffy." Angel said quietly. She looked over at him and then to everyone's surprise, she ran to him and hid her face in his chest. "Giles, you better go. I'll, we'll call you when she's ready to talk."  
  
"But Angel…"  
  
"Just go." Buffy bellowed from Angel's chest.  
  
The watcher looked down at his shoes. As he walked out reluctantly, he nodded at Lestat and Marius. They nodded back. Angel led Buffy over to the big chair and sat her down. She wasn't crying, but she had an expression that could crush Angel's soul it was so hurt.  
  
"Buffy, I didn't mean for him to come here. I really didn't. He just came and I should have told you that he was here."  
  
"I don't blame you Angel. I blame me."  
  
"I don't understand. You blame you?"  
  
"Yes. He was just like all the others. I should have known. The only two guys that never left at least once in my history of Sunnydale hell are Xander and Spike."  
  
"You know that I am so sorry about me leaving you."  
  
"I know, but you came back."  
  
"So did Giles."  
  
"Yeah, but let's put it this way. My father walked out on me. Then Giles comes along and hey, Buffy's got a new daddy. Maybe not by blood, but in every way that should count, he was my father. And he left, just like my biological father. You know the worst thing though? Giles helped me through so much more than my real father could ever handle. I was 16 and I died, but he was there to help me through. My boyfriend, the love of my life, is changed into the monster he was without his soul, Giles was there going through the same hell as me, and through all of it, he was there to guide me. I sent my lover to hell and ran away, he never gave up hope on finding me and getting me to let it all out. The love of my life leaves me the night before my prom and he tried to comfort me. He led me through the mayor, you leaving me, college, Riley leaving me, my mother dying, keeping Dawn safe. I died and he helped Dawn out, the one person that was closest to me in all the world, that was made from me, and he helped her through as if it were me. I was dragged from the only peace I've ever known since my life began by my friends and he helped me through that as best he could, but then he left. Just decided one day that I should have to do everything myself and that he shouldn't be there to guide me anymore." She looked up from the floor into Angel's eyes. "But I don't hate him for it."  
  
Angel pulled Buffy into an embrace that would have crushed anyone else, but it was so gently done that Buffy was grateful to have him back. Their visitors had made their way over to the couch but hadn't sat down. They stood and stared at the two lovers.  
  
"Oh, God. Angel, this is Marius. Marius, this is my fiancé Angel."  
  
"Hello." Marius greeted Angel as if Buffy's little outburst had never happened.  
  
"Hi." Angel welcomed Marius with a firm handshake.  
  
"Lestat, brought Marius here to meet me and I wanted to share this experience with you." Buffy clarified.  
  
"Please sit down." Angel said. Buffy stood up and gave Angel the chair while she sat on the floor between his legs. Lestat and Marius sat down on the couch adjacent to Buffy and Angel.  
  
"I know pretty much the whole story from what Buffy has said just now and from what Lestat here had told me, but Buffy, please explain to me why you are not mad at Mr. Giles." Marius said.  
  
"Well, it's very complicated, but when you love someone as much as I love Giles, you can forgive them almost anything. Giles is honestly like a father to me. My father was never there for me when I really needed him, but Giles was. I guess because we've been through everything together that I can't hate him."  
  
"Oh. What's it like?"  
  
"What's what like?"  
  
"Being the slayer?"  
  
"Being a slayer?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Stressful! I constantly have the weight of the world on my shoulders and yet the weight keeps on coming."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, when mom died I ended up with the house and a teenager to look after. Then I died and went to heaven. I was then drug out of heaven, and trust me on this: THAT was stressful! Then come to find out that my house bills are just piled up and I have no money whatsoever. So this means I have to get a job! Add all this up and it equals stress. But why are you asking me questions? I am supposed to be the one asking you!"  
  
"Well, ask away. I'm a very patient person."  
  
"Ok, what was it like to take care of Akasha and Enkil?"  
  
"Stressful. They were constantly playing tricks on me. For instance, when I would bring something for them and leave, when I came back, it was moved to somewhere else. Or, when I would shut and latch the door with the heavy wooden beam on both the inside and the outside of the sanctuary and leave only to come back and the doors are standing wide open and Akasha, or Enkil, would be standing somewhere far from the thrones. When Lestat here became a rock star, it became more constant. That was very interesting to watch."  
  
"Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar. Like say, a teenage girl?"  
  
"What about living for as long as you have? Is that lonely?" Angel piped up. Buffy, sensing that Angel was asking this because he was facing an eternity like Marius and Lestat were, took his hand in hers and held gently yet firmly to it.  
  
"It can be at times. I always had Those Who Must Be Kept to talk to, but now that I don't, I have time to roam. That after a while gets pretty lonely. If you have someone that you love very much that is going to live for an eternity, that always helps."  
  
Buffy looked down, as did Angel and Lestat. They had been having that discussion for the past few days now. Buffy was still a little hurt by Lestat wanting to change her for selfish reasons, but she was near to being over it.  
  
"And I can tell you all have thought about changing Buffy. Even Buffy had been thinking about it. It is true though; you won't really need the blood if Lestat changes you. You will crave it, but that is easily fixed by pigs blood, or a good thief." Marius stated calmly.  
  
"Yeah, well, try convincing that to Angel." Buffy said.  
  
"Would you want it though? Would you want the burden of living forever and watching all those you care about grow old, wither, and then die? It's not pleasant."  
  
"I know. Maybe, sometime in the future."  
  
"Of course."  
  
They went on like this for hours it seemed. Buffy and Angel asking questions, then Marius answering them. They completely lost track of time. When Buffy finally looked at Angel's watch, it was late and Dawn was probably home along time ago. She still had to patrol!  
  
"Excuse me." She said, and hopped up to go use the phone in the kitchen.  
  
"When is the date?" Marius asked.  
  
"June 1."  
  
"This year?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hey, I've got to go patrolling. Angel, wanna come?" Buffy said walking back into the room.  
  
"Yeah sure."  
  
"Yes, I must be going." Marius said.  
  
"Where do you have to go?" Lestat inquired.  
  
"I have some business to attend to."  
  
"Oh. Well, I need to go to New Orleans and see Louis and David. It has been a while."  
  
They all walked out the door and said their goodbyes. Buffy and Angel headed off towards Restifield Cemetery while Lestat and Marius took to the air.  
  
  
  
"Dawn?" Buffy called as she and Angel walked in. They walked to the kitchen and checked the refrigerator for notes. There were two.  
  
  
  
Dear Buffy,  
  
I went to Xander's to stay the night since you didn't come home. I'll see you tomorrow after school. Hope you had a great patrol.  
  
Love,  
  
Dawn  
  
  
  
Hey Buffy,  
  
I went to Tara's. I might not be home for a while (or hopefully not at all). Sorry about leaving Dawn. I told her to stay with Xander. But hey, at least you and Angel will have the house all to yourselves! Have fun. I wish you monsters.  
  
Love,  
  
Willow  
  
  
  
"You gotta love them!" Buffy said as she folded the notes up.  
  
"Yeah, they're so thoughtful." Angel replied.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"This is how so." Angel grabbed up Buffy and crushed his lips to hers. They went on like this for a few minutes until Buffy thought she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. They went from there on the island counter in the kitchen, on the stairs, in the bedroom a couple of times, and then in the shower. They really pushed their strength and endurance to the max. As Buffy lay surrounded by Angel's arms and scent, she thought of the future. One time she had told Angel that she never looked into the future but when she did all she saw and wanted was him. Now that was true again. She was genuinely happy, which scared her to death. She felt as if every time she became content with the way things were going, someone or something came along and ruined it for her. She was going to do everything in her power to prevent this from happening this time. No matter who she had to beat up or possibly kill to make sure this happened.  
  
  
  
The bleached-blond vampire who watched the light go off in the slayer's room was plotting. He was going to do everything in his power to destroy the relationship the slayer had with Angelus. Nothing and no one was going to stop him. He was going to make sure that he was there when things fell apart for the two lovebirds. He wanted to watch Angelus suffer and lose the love of his undead life. Spike smiled wickedly to himself and shrank back into the shadows walking away content with his plan. 


	29. Preperations

Chapter 29  
  
"Willow, what did you do with that cell phone?" Buffy asked, half-turning to look back at the red head.  
  
"It's right here. Be careful! You might get yourself poked with one of those pins. Or you might rip your dress." Willow said handing the cell over to her best friend. They were at the wedding dress shop in LA. Buffy was having the final touches put on her gorgeous strapless wedding dress. The wedding was to be held in Sunnydale, but Buffy had insisted that they go to this shop because she had seen this dress a little over a month ago when she and Angel had come up to announce their engagement to Cordy, Fred, Gru, Lorne, Gunn, and yes, Wesley. That hadn't been much fun for the slayer. Angel was extremely pissed off at the ex-Watcher for taking his son. Angel had even tried to kill Wesley while Wes was in the hospital. It had taken a lot from Buffy, Gunn, and a couple of orderlies to restrain him. Buffy, however, had insisted that they include Wesley in the wedding because no matter how much Angel hated it, he was still friends with Buffy and, in a very small way, Angel.  
  
So much had happened in the past month. Giles and Buffy had reconciled and were now speaking everyday as if nothing had happened. In fact, Giles was giving Buffy away. Buffy's dad had been one major pain in the ass about all of it saying that he was going to be in Japan for two weeks, the same two weeks that held Buffy and Angel's wedding date. He had been even more pissy-er when Buffy had called and told him that Giles was to give her away. Spike had been extra super nice to Buffy and that was beginning to scare her a little. He had something up his sleeve, Buffy just knew it. It wasn't getting to her. This was the happiest month of her life! Lestat had returned from New Orleans about a week ago and had brought Louis with him. Buffy liked Louis, but Angel and him had become really good friends. Marius and Buffy talked constantly! Even though Buffy was no history buff, she loved to hear tales of the old days! Giles and Marius had become almost best friends! It was all so amazing, things were just so perfect. Lestat was helping her and Giles pay for the wedding because Buffy refused to go against tradition too much and let Angel pay for the whole thing. She had quit her job at the Doublemeat Palace after her boss had yelled at her about Buffy leaving to go do this and that for the wedding. Besides, she had two very rich vampires that were helping her out.  
  
Buffy looked down at her maid of honor and smiled. Willow looked gorgeous in her off-white formal dress. The red head was so happy too. She and Tara had gotten back together and Tara was hanging put a lot more with them, especially since Buffy had insisted that Tara be a bride's maid at the wedding. Anya and Dawn were also bride's maids. Dawn had wanted to be the flower girl, but Buffy had said she was too old, so Dawn had settled for jr. bride's maid. All the bride's maids' dresses were a lavender colored, spaghetti strapped, prom-like dress. They had all sat down and looked through a catalogue of dresses and picked out the one they all agreed on. Buffy had sat down with Willow and picked her dress out because the maid of honor's dress had to look better than the bride's maids' but not as astounding as the bride's.  
  
"Why do you want it anyway?" Willow's voice broke Buffy out of her flood of memories.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The cell phone, why did you want it?"  
  
"Oh! For this." Buffy picked the selection for speed dial and looked Angel's number up. The other line was picked up after the fourth ring.  
  
"Hello?" came the sultry voice at the other end. Angel knew that it was Buffy calling, he had caller ID, but he knew that Buffy loved that voice, so he had used it on her.  
  
"Hey sexy! What are you doing?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The same thing you are. And I'm only in the next room."  
  
"You're getting the final touches on your dress done?"  
  
"Yes, Gunn says that this shade of pink looks lovely on me."  
  
"You're so funny. Haha. Do you look sexy?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Let me ask your best man."  
  
"He couldn't tell you."  
  
"Let me talk to him!"  
  
"Ok, hold on." There was an exchange of muffled words and then the swap of the phone and then Gunn's voice came on.  
  
"Yo?"  
  
"Hey Gunn."  
  
"Hey Buff! What's going on in the next room?"  
  
"Nothing much. So how does Angel look?"  
  
"He's lookin' fly in this tux! If it wasn't so strange, I'd tell him to wear the thing all the time. You know your styles!"  
  
"Cordy helped."  
  
"Yeah, but you and Angel got the final say."  
  
"Oh well. How do you like your tux?"  
  
"It's awesome! I didn't know I had lines this smooth!"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Let me see."  
  
A door opened just a crack and Gunn walked in holding the cell phone out so her could slickly spin around for Buffy to see the whole getup.  
  
"Well?" he asked.  
  
"I likes. Hey, better watch that door! The groom is trying to peek." Buffy stifled a giggle as the door was slammed in Angel's face.  
  
"Get your butt back over here Gunn! I wanna talk to my fiancé!" came Angel's voice from the other room.  
  
"Hold your horses! I better get back before Angel fires me!"  
  
"Ok." Buffy waved and stepped out of view from the peeping Angel on the other side of the door.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel's voice came over the cell phone.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Oh, I thought we had lost the signal!"  
  
"Nope, still here."  
  
"Hey Gunn, is she beautiful?" Angel asked the other man over the connection.  
  
Buffy heard a "No." on the other side of the line and she started to protest when she heard Gunn say, "She's astonishingly outstandingly dazzling."  
  
"Awe." Buffy said, tears welling in her eyes.  
  
"Mam, we're finished here. You can go change and take the dress with you when you leave." The sales lady who had been finishing her dress said standing up. She turned to Willow, "I'm ready for you now, miss."  
  
"Angel, I'm going to go for a little bit. The lady finished my dress and she is going to work on Willow now. I'll see you in a little bit."  
  
"All right. I love you."  
  
"I love you."  
  
They broke the connection and Buffy hopped down off the pedestal. She went to the changing rooms and carefully slipped out of her dress and then back into her jeans and spaghetti strapped tank top. It was burning up outside and Buffy had chosen this outfit to keep cool. She walked out and Willow looked down at her and smiled. Buffy laid the dress over a chair and walked to the door connecting the two fitting rooms. As she went to open the door, it opened before her hand could reach the knob. On the other side of the threshold was here one and only. She rocketed into his arms and they kissed avidly, forgetting that there were friends and a stranger looking at them. They broke off, only slightly embarrassed, and walked over to Willow.  
  
"Wills, what time is it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's, um, 4:30. Why?"  
  
"I have to meet someone at 4:45."  
  
"Oh, well I don' t know how long I'm gonna be."  
  
"That's ok. Gunn, can you drive me?"  
  
"What about me? Angel asked.  
  
"You are going to stay here and watch the dress and Willow. I'll meet you back at the Hyperion in about an hour."  
  
"All right." They kissed again, only this time not as ardently.  
  
"Gunn?"  
  
"Let's hit it." He said.  
  
Buffy and Gunn walked outside and strolled to the truck waiting around the corner.  
  
"Wesley, huh?" Gunn asked as he started the engine.  
  
"Yup. I don't bring Angel along because I'm afraid he might try to hurt Wesley again and I won't be able to restrain him."  
  
"It's ok. I don't blame you. Wes is a good guy. What he did was understandable, but…"  
  
"Inexcusable." Buffy finished Gunn's sentence. "I know. Conner was like a son to me. The way Angel talked to him about me when I was on the phone and the way Conner acted around me, I just felt that he was mine and Angel's. You know, seeing as how we can't have kids."  
  
"Hey, don't ruin your happy now. You guys will make it fine. You have Dawn, remember? You told me once that she was like your daughter."  
  
"Yeah, but it's the whole thing about raising someone that the two of us made together out of love is what I really would love. You can't tell him that though. He'll get all broody and a week before the wedding will not be the best thing."  
  
"I understand. And I know where you're coming from too. I love Fred and someday I want to start a family. The thought of raising a person that the two of us created is an overwhelmingly wonderful feeling."  
  
"Yeah, at least you two can."  
  
"Hey, maybe Angel isn't as, um, infertile as you think. Maybe Darla ain't the only blond he can knock up. Maybe the Powers like you enough to grant you something like that."  
  
"Yeah, maybe."  
  
"Hey, we're here. You want me to stay?"  
  
"No. I'll just call a cab when I'm ready to leave."  
  
"Ok. See ya later Buff."  
  
"Bye Gunn."  
  
Buffy watched as Gunn drove off before she turned and headed up the stairs to Wesley's apartment. She rode the elevator up to his floor and walked to his door. She knocked for a few seconds and waited for him to come to the door. When he opened it and was who it was he smiled and stepped back to let her in.  
  
"Hello Buffy." He said. His voice was still very hoarse from the raw wound, but it was better than it was a week ago when Buffy had last seen him.  
  
"Hi. How are you?" she asked, hugging him gently.  
  
"I've seen better days. Please sit down." He led Buffy over to a chair while he sat on the sofa.  
  
"Understandable. So, are you coming to the wedding? I mean, Angel has no say in this whatsoever. It was my choice to have you there. You're my friend Wesley and I want you there."  
  
"I've already bought my tux."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. How's your dress coming along?"  
  
"It's done. Angel's watching it with Willow back at the dress shop. She wasn't done so I had Angel stay with her until I got back to the hotel."  
  
"How…how is…"  
  
"Angel or everyone?"  
  
"Everyone."  
  
"Their good. I mean, they're not exactly a whole without you, but they're coping." When she say Wesley's half anger half remorse look, she said, "And that was the wrong thing to say, wasn't it?"  
  
"No, no. It's good to know that they are ok. And I apologize, I didn't ask you how you were."  
  
"Accepted. I'm good, couldn't be happier. How would you be if you found out that there is nothing standing in your way of being with your soul mate? I am about to marry the most wonderful man on earth whom I am completely in love with."  
  
Wesley smiled and looked up at the bright beauty that was once his slayer. She had defiantly grown mentally and physically since he had last seen her. That was explicable seeing as how she had been through so much.  
  
"Is your father coming to the wedding?"  
  
"My father? You mean my I'm-to-busy-living-it-up-in-Japan-the-day-my- oldest-daughter-is-getting-married father?"  
  
"Oh Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
  
"It's ok. Giles is giving me away."  
  
"Mr. Giles? I can see how that works out. The man was more of a father to you than your genetic father ever tried to be from what I saw and what Mr. Giles told me of him."  
  
"I'm good with it though. I don't think that I would be half as happy as I am now if my dad was giving me away. He was barely ever there the whole time I was growing up. He was too busy with work and secretaries to worry about his family. You know, it was his idea to put me in that mental institution after I had come home that first night and spilled the whole vampire slayer story to them. My mom thought I was being very imaginative and maybe working on a character for my drama class, but my dad obviously thought I was crazy. Of course, him being the male of the family, he wore the pants and so mom was left with no choice but to put me in there."  
  
"Yes, Angel told me about that before…"  
  
"Yeah, I figured he probably would have." Buffy looked up and blew out a huge breath of air. "Boy, that just paved right over memory lane, didn't it?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Not your fault, so don't worry about it. Have you talked to any of them since… you know?"  
  
"Only Gunn. He came by when Fred needed help and they couldn't help her because they didn't know what to do."  
  
"He was smart to do that."  
  
"Why won't you go back and talk to them? Make them listen to your side of the story."  
  
"They won't. They never will. I've acknowledged that fact and I'm ready to move on. They hate me and they blame me for losing Conner. You probably do to."  
  
"I don't… hate you that is, but your right, I do blame you. I do blame you for not telling anyone about the prophecy. Especially me, Wes. I could have done something. You know that Angel would never have harmed me in any way. And because of that, I would have been a much better way to save Conner. But after that battle between Angel and Conner, with me occasional helping out, distracting mostly, Angel has been a little better. You really should try talking to them."  
  
"Like I said, they would never listen."  
  
"You might give it a try. Maybe even at the wedding. I mean, everybody is going to be in a good mood and light spirited that day, not to mention possibly drunk on that champagne that Lestat has insisted on getting."  
  
"Maybe. Or maybe I won't come to the reception at all."  
  
"What, no, you can't! I mean, I was going to save a dance for both of my Watchers."  
  
"I just don't know Buffy."  
  
"Are you coming to the rehearsal dinner?"  
  
"No, unfortunately I can't. I have… other plans that night. Plans that I can't break."  
  
"Well, all right." Buffy looked at the digital clock sitting on the desk. "Oh crap, I have to go. Angel and I have a triple date with Fred and Gunn and Cordy and Gru in like an hour. I wanted to pick up a dress for tonight."  
  
"Yes, by all means."  
  
"It was nice talking to you."  
  
"Yes, the likewise."  
  
"So, I'll see you later then?"  
  
"Naturally. Goodbye Buffy."  
  
"Bye Wes. And hey," she said as she caught the shutting door. "Think about what I said."  
  
"I will."  
  
With that Buffy hurried off, dialing the number for the cab service. When the cab reached her on the corner, she hopped in and told him to head to Beverly Hills. She had a wad of cash from Lestat and she intended to look good tonight. So, Beverly Hills it was. 


	30. Triple Date

Chapter 30  
  
"Hey Angel, Willow." Cordelia greeted them as they walked in carrying huge packages in their overloaded arms. "Where's Buffy?"  
  
"She went to see a friend of hers before she came back here. We thought she would have beat us though. She's not here?" Angel asked as he tried to catch Buffy's dress from falling with her shoebox containing the beautiful white shoes she was to wear with her dress.  
  
"Nope. You guys need a hand?" Cordelia called Gru and they went to take some of the packages from Angel and Willow. Angel refused to let Buffy's dress leave his arms when Cordy, then Gru, tried to take it. They took everything over to the round couch in the middle of the immense lobby and sat it down neatly. Angel took Buffy's dress and hung it inside his office door.  
  
"There. If anything happens to this dress, someone is going to loose many limbs." Angel said turning to his co-workers and smiling.  
  
"Absolutely nothing will happen to this dress Big Guy." Lorne said as he came out from behind the counter. "I'll watch it while you guys are out. Besides, Willow and I are going to work on that ballroom. I want to fix that sound system up."  
  
"Lorne…"  
  
"It's only for my pleasure. I'm getting homesick, that's all. Hey, it could come in use. I mean, we could use it to help clients out."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, they could come and sing so I can read them and then we can help them out with whatever problems they have."  
  
"Whatever. Cordy, what did you do with my tux? We have to be gone in a little less than an hour. The reservations get canceled at the restaurant if we don't stick to the schedule."  
  
"It's up in your room. Don't worry boss, we're on time. That is, we will be if Buffy gets here soon."  
  
"Worry no more then." Buffy said, entering with two bags from shops that Cordy recognized from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.  
  
"Did you get me a present?" Angel asked as she walked up to him and kissed him.  
  
"Theoretically speaking."  
  
"Oh, and you went to the expensive stores too."  
  
"Yup, thanks to Lestat. He is spoiling me and I love it!"  
  
"As long as I get to keep you for myself."  
  
"You do."  
  
"I do."  
  
"That's exactly what I want to hear you say in a week."  
  
"You will."  
  
"Ugh! Get a room." Cordy groaned.  
  
The couple broke apart and looked around. Willow was sitting on top of the counter, Lorne was leaning in the doorway, Cordy had walked back to her desk, and Gru had followed her loyally.  
  
"I gotta hand it to you Blondie, Big Guy here is much more fun to be around when he's with you!" Lorne said.  
  
"I should hope so." Buffy retorted. "Come on, let's go get changed. I'm gonna take forever to get ready!"  
  
"You better not. Angel here was complaining that the reservations are gonna get cancelled if we don't hurry." Cordy said as she headed up to a room that Angel had given her so she could get ready.  
  
"Well, in that case I won't have time to give you these shoes that I bought to go with your dress, Cordy." Buffy said pulling out a shiny, black shoebox.  
  
"But what does Angel know about reservations anyway?" Cordy said hanging a u-ie and taking the box from Buffy.  
  
"Hey, standing right here within hearing range!" Angel protested.  
  
"You're always in hearing range. You're a vampire." Cordy waved and headed upstairs.  
  
Buffy and Angel followed suit and went to his room. When they got up there and shut the door, Angel tried to get Buffy on the bed, but she pulled out of his grip and headed to the bathroom, locking the door. When she came out 45 minutes later, she was in a to-the-knees, black, spaghetti strapped dress with a burgundy shawl draped around her arms. Her makeup was simple, but elegantly done and her hair was down except for a tuft of hair on each side of her face that was pulled back and pinned on each side with antique- like butterfly clips. Her shoes were small, black strappies that hooked around her ankles. She had a small black purse clutched in one hand. She looked even more gorgeous each passing moment that he looked at her.  
  
He was wearing a black tux that made him look delectable. It wasn't as stylish as the one he was wearing for the wedding, but he still looked excellent. He was trying to tie his bow tie as he looked at her. She had only seen him in a tux once before at her senior prom, but as she looked at him she realized that it wasn't the same Angel that she had danced with that night, it was a much more mature and established Angel. It was an Angel that she fell in love with even more than she had the first time she had met him. The experiences that they had gone through in the past couple of years had matured them. She knew that she was a different Buffy than the Buffy from three years ago. It was a good change, but it was even better because she knew that no matter how much either of them changed, they still loved each other.  
  
She walked up and helped him finish tying his bow. While she was helping, part of her shawl had fallen off of her arm. Angel reached down to pick it up and replaced it back to its original spot. When he came back up, he was caught in Buffy's arms and he smothered her in a kiss that would melt an iceberg. He could smell her vanilla perfume and it brought back memories of that first night that they had made love. He was in heaven in her arms. But suddenly, he was not in her arms anymore. She had pulled back to save her lipstick and make sure that they didn't hold up the other two couples waiting for them downstairs. She looked up into his chocolate eyes and he knew that she was promising him that after they returned; he could finish what he had started.  
  
  
  
"I bet their up there getting griony." Cordelia said. She was dressed in a long, chic, midnight blue dress that showed off her curves and set off her new blond-dyed hairstyle. They had been sitting there for about 10 minutes and Cordy was staring to get bored with admiring her new shoes. She had to admit that Buffy did have taste in clothes. Buffy always had. Cordy was just a little bit jealous of her. That's why she had picked on Buffy so much in high school, but Cordy would never admit that! Not even if somebody came up and tortured her just to find that out.  
  
"It's kind of romantic! You know, throwing in a quickie before you leave." Gunn put in.  
  
"Yeah, but wasn't HE the one complaining about us being late?"  
  
"So, they're in love and the last time they were together, together they couldn't do it! I say let them have their fun. But if they don't hurry their asses up, I'm going up there and breaking them up. I'm hungry!"  
  
"Me too." Fred added.  
  
"Finally!" Cordy said as she spotted the two walking down the stairs. Buffy looked stunning in her short black dress and burgundy shawl. Better than Cordelia, she had to admit. "You two weren't, you know, get your groove thing on, were you?"  
  
"No, I just took forever getting ready and then Angel couldn't tie his tie." Buffy said stepping off the last stair, her heels making a loud click sounds as they hit the marble floor on their way out the door.  
  
"Sure." Gunn said, smiling mischievously.  
  
"We weren't!" Angel interjected. "Besides, you guys will forgive us when you see what Buffy and I arranged for transportation tonight."  
  
Outside the gates, a chauffer stood holding a door open to a black stretch limo. Cordy squealed and turned to the couple behind her.  
  
"A limo? You guys got a limo?" she asked, eyes wide.  
  
"It was Buffy's idea, I just paid for it." Angel said plainly.  
  
Cordy turned and grabbed Buffy up into a bear hug. "Thank you! He would have never have done this if you hadn't said something!"  
  
"I know." Buffy said, hugging back.  
  
They all climbed in and took seats on the sides of the limo, leaving the head seats to Buffy and Angel. Gru and Fred were looking around in astonishment. They had never ridden in a limo before and they were certainly enjoying it. Angel gave the driver the address of A Votre Santé Restaurant near Beverly Hills and they were off. The plans for the night were eat first, then head to the ballet to see Carman. Buffy had wanted to see it performed off the ice and in an actual opera when she had heard that it was being performed in town. She was smiling at him when he looked down at her. This was one of the most perfect nights in his life so far for many reasons. For one, he never thought that he could get Buffy to an opera house in a million years, for another he was here with his closest friends, and another, he was here with his love.  
  
Everyone was talking excitedly about riding in a limo and going to the opera. Gunn was complaining that he had to go because it was girlier than the ballet. The ballet he had liked, Angel remembered, so he would probably like the opera. He smiled at everyone and then back down at Buffy who was nestled in his arm. She had drifted off to sleep. Angel knew that she tended to fall asleep on long car rides. She had fallen asleep on the way here from Sunnydale. He didn't want to wake her, but they had arrived at the restaurant finally. He touched her cheek and kissed her forehead to awaken her. She stirred and looked up drowsily.  
  
"I wasn't sleeping." She said.  
  
"I know lover, I know. We're here."  
  
"Already? That was fast!"  
  
"It took us about 45 minutes to get here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They all piled out of the limo when the driver opened the door. Gunn and Fred were the last to step out. Buffy and Angel led the way to the door. When they stepped inside, a hostess stepped up to them and took Angel's name. When she found it, she led them to a table in front of a huge picture window. When the group looked out they could see the distant, famous Hollywood sign. After they had all sat down and ordered drinks, a light conversation was struck up.  
  
"So, how's Dawn Buffy?" Fred asked.  
  
"She's fine. She's staying with Xander tonight since no one is going to be home. I think he said something about pizza, movies, and the game of Life. I think that has some significance to Anya." Buffy informed.  
  
"How's she making it in the big scary high school?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"It's better now. She's working a little harder and her grades are picking back up. At least she's not going to school on the Hellmouth, right?"  
  
"Yeah, cause God knows we wouldn't want to have to go back there."  
  
"Actually, I was there the other night. There were a few vamps using the gym as a lair. I dusted them."  
  
"How is the old place?"  
  
"Burnt out!"  
  
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia laughed at that, but the others didn't get it. When Buffy noticed the others weren't laughing, just sitting there looking confused, she piped up and told them about how she had blown up the school on graduation day.  
  
"You got to live every teenager's fantasy! How did that feel?" Gunn asked when Buffy, Angel, and Cordy finished the story.  
  
"Mind numbing, actually. I was so exhausted by the time it was over that my brain could only process three things. Fire bad. Tree pretty. Angel walking away." Buffy reluctantly said the last part; she didn't want to upset the evening.  
  
"There wasn't even a 'Yay, we just blew up the high school' moment?" Gunn inquired.  
  
"Well, duh! Of course there was!"  
  
They all laughed. By then the food had come, so they all ate in almost silence. Occasionally there would be comments about the restaurant, the food, or the view. It was all right with everyone for the time being. The food was good enough to keep their mouths full anyway. Angel and Buffy had gotten a plate of food to share because neither one of them were all that hungry.  
  
  
  
Dinner had been great! The opera had been even better. Buffy didn't realize how much different Carman was off the ice. It had been amazing. She and Angel were upstairs in his room putting on some clothes. Buffy had vied for one of Angel's big silk shirts that almost swallowed her whole. He had chosen his boxers.  
  
"What did you think?" Angel asked.  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"The opera."  
  
"I'd been once, but that was to see Phantom of the Opera. It was a school field trip, so it was mandatory. But I liked it. The second time around anyway. Probably cause I was with you."  
  
"Buffy, Phantom of the Opera isn't an opera."  
  
"It isn't?"  
  
"No, it's just a play. I like the music, especially the Andrew Lloyd Webber version."  
  
Buffy chuckled and slid under the covers into Angel's arms. She loved being able to be with him the way they had been only ten minutes earlier. The best part was that he was still Angel. Her Angel. She was worn-out from the day's events. Not to mention from the two and a half hours they had just spent together all over the hotel slash apartment room.  
  
"Mmm, I like this a lot." She murmured.  
  
"Me too. Just think, this will be an every night thing."  
  
"I don't think I could handle what we just did every night."  
  
"Well, we can discover more calmer ways for the days when we can't do…THAT." He emphasized the room beyond the bedroom that was in shambles in certain sections.  
  
"Yeah. I'm so sleepy!"  
  
"Sleep love. I'll be here when you wake up."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you."  
  
She drifted away into sweet dreams full of Angel and life with Angel and kids with Angel. She was so happy. There was nothing that could ruin this. Nothing. 


	31. The Big Day

Chapter 31  
  
"Willow! Where's my necklace?" Buffy cried. She searched the room that the church had given them for the bride's room for the tiny necklace with the small diamond cross.  
  
"It's right here Buffy! Be careful, you're going to rip your train!" Willow said handing the gorgeous necklace to Buffy.  
  
"Phew! I thought I had lost it."  
  
"It's ok. Aren't you glad you have me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Buffy, need any help?" Cordelia asked from the doorway.  
  
"No Cor, I'm good. Where's my lipstick? I need to reapply it!" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"It's right here." Tara said holding up the tiny tube. "Here, you don't need to be holding anything colored that you could drop on your dress. Let me." Buffy stopped fidgeting long enough to allow Tara to put on the pretty mocha latte lipstick. "There."  
  
"Thank you." Buffy blotted her lips and turned to Cordelia. "Cordy, could you latch this? I can't hold on to the little clasp!"  
  
"Here." Cordy took the necklace from Buffy and put it around the petite blond's neck. "There. Buffy, you look gorgeous. Can I tell you something?"  
  
"Yeah sure. As long as it isn't 'Angel left.'"  
  
"It's not. It's basically this: you do anything to hurt Angel and I will personally come and beat the snot out of you." Cordy smiled at Buffy.  
  
"Cordelia! I would never hurt Angel."  
  
"I know, but he's been my best friend the last few years and I know that you would never hurt him on purpose, but I'm just warning you. Now hurry up. You don't have much time."  
  
"Thank you. Willow, do you have my bouquet?"  
  
"No, Dawn has it. She's waiting out there by the doors."  
  
"Dawn? Dawn has it?"  
  
"Yes, don't worry Buffy." Willow hugged her friend to reassure her everything was going to be fine. "Nothing is going to ruin this day for you. I promise."  
  
"You better keep that promise Will."  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
There was a knock at the door and Tara went to open it to make sure it wasn't Angel trying to get a pre-ceremony peek at the bride. It was Giles.  
  
"Buffy, are you ready? The preacher says that it's time."  
  
Buffy looked around at everything, then down at herself. She looked stunning! The dress was perfect and it set off her trim figure. Her bride's maids, Tara and Anya looked great. Dawn looked good too. Buffy had seen her only moments ago. Willow looked stunning in the dress that she and Buffy had picked out.  
  
"Yeah. Let's do this." Buffy said. She allowed Tara, Cordelia, Anya, and Willow out first before she went arm in arm with Giles. They hid behind the door that led to the main chapel. Gunn, Lorne, Dawn, and Xander were out there waiting for the girls. Cordelia snuck through the door to take her seat beside Gru.  
  
"Hey Blondie! You look superb! Are you nervous?" Lorne asked.  
  
"She should be! This process is horrible to go through!" Anya piped up. Xander looked down at his shoes suddenly finding them interesting. "Oh, stop taking it personally Xander. I'm only doing this for Buffy. She's my friend."  
  
"Anya, hush. No, I'm not nervous. I'm just antsy. I get that way when I have to perform in front of people. Take the sophomore talent show for example." Buffy said smiling.  
  
Suddenly a song played on the organ signaling that the bride's maids and ushers should take position and go. Anya paired with Xander, Tara paired with Lorne, Dawn got behind Tara and Lorne, Willow went with Gunn since they were the maid of honor and best man, and Buffy and Giles stood to the side out of site. The doors opened and Anya and Xander stepped out and walked down the aisle. Then Tara and Lorne went, then Dawn. When they had reached the steps to the alter, the music changed to the wedding march. Willow and Gunn went down the aisle to the first verse; the doors shutting behind them so Buffy and Giles could take their place, and hugged Angel, wishing him good luck. Then the second verse started and the small crowd stood as the doors opened revealing Buffy and her surrogate father. Angel beamed from ear to ear as Buffy walked up the aisle, their eyes never leaving each other. Buffy and Giles reached the steps.  
  
"Who gives this woman away?" the preacher's voice reverberated off the walls of the mostly empty church.  
  
"I do." Giles said. He turned to Buffy and hugged her, telling her that he loved her and would always be there for her. Then she walked to Angel and took his hand. They walked up the four stairs to the waiting preacher and waited to begin.  
  
"We are gathered here today to join this man, Liem Angel Kendall, and this woman, Buffy Anne Summers, in holy matrimony. Let us pray." They all bowed their heads and allowed the preacher to recite the prayer. When he was done, Buffy and Angel got to say the vows that they had chosen for each other.  
  
"The bride and groom have chosen their own vows. Angel, if you will." The preacher announced.  
  
He nodded and turned to Buffy. "Buffy, you've been my light at the end of the tunnel since the day I first laid eyes on you. You've led me to my destiny, and that destiny is standing here, starting my life with you. You've been there through thick and thin. You've even been the cause of the thick at times. But because of those times, you've helped me grow into a better person. Before I met you, I was a lost cause. I had already given up on myself. You gave me hope and you showed me love. For this, you will always be my girl. I love you and I would be honored to stand by your side as your husband and your lover for the rest of eternity."  
  
Buffy looked at Angel lovingly with tears of elation in her eyes.  
  
"Buffy." The preacher said.  
  
"Angel, I love you in every way possible. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here now. I wouldn't be the person I am. When I first saw you that first night in Sunnydale and looked into your eyes, I felt whole. I wouldn't have admitted it then, but now there is nothing to hide from. You have been my hope, my object of desire, the one person that I can run to in times of turmoil. I want to start with a clean slate right here and say that I am truly sorry for everything that I did wrong. And I want to say thank you. Thank you for showing me how to grow up and get through the wrongs and chaos of my life. All of my 21 years of living there has been no one that I have loved more than you. And I would be grateful to have you by my side through eternity as my husband and lover as long as you would be honored to have me. I love you, my Angel."  
  
She held his eyes in her loving gaze as tears welled in his eyes. Her tears were falling and she thanked Anya for that bridal magazine that suggested waterproof makeup.  
  
"The bride and groom have expressed their undying love and devotion to each other. If there is anyone here who would not like to see these two joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."  
  
Everyone looked around, but no one stood. When the preacher tried to begin again, a shadow dislodged itself from the surrounding shadows and said, "Yeah, I don't want to see them joined in any way! And trust me, forever is a long time."  
  
"Spike?!" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah luv, I just can't let you make this mistake!"  
  
"What are your reasons sir?" the preacher asked dutifully.  
  
"My reasons? That Buffy here was shagging old Spike behind everyone here's backs. I can't allow her to get married when she has feelings for Big Bad here."  
  
Lestat, Louis, and Marius stood up and started towards Spike.  
  
"Oh sit down, would you? Especially you Lestat! That was your girl before Nancy Boy up there took her." Spike stated as if he weren't about to be ripped limb from limb.  
  
"I'm warning you Spike. Get the hell out of here before I come down there and rip you perverted head off." Angel warned.  
  
"Oh, can't handle that you girl there was sleeping with me can ya? Didn't tell ya did she?"  
  
"Spike, get out!" Xander said standing.  
  
"Or what, you'll take my head off like you TRIED to do when I was with YOUR girl? You didn't want to hear about it. And you Buffy, I saw that hurt look in your eyes when you saw me with Anya there."  
  
Buffy lifted her skirts and walked down the steps calmly.  
  
"Buffy, where are you going?" Angel asked, sounding a little hurt that she had left him there.  
  
"I'm going to go beat Spike into a bloody pulp." She replied coolly under her breath. She walked over to Spike and her looked down at her lustily, expecting her to kiss him.  
  
"Yeah luv, knew you couldn't marry Nancy Boy up there. I knew that you had feelings for me." Spike said trying to grab Buffy around her waist. When she grabbed his wrists he thought she was going to take him away, but then spots were dancing in front of his eyes and he was on the floor.  
  
"You disgust me Spike! How the hell could you dare to come here and ruin the happiest day of my life?" She kicked him in the side of his head.  
  
"What the bleedin' hell!?"  
  
"I hate you Spike. You were becoming a friend, but after this fiasco you have just been demoted to the scum of the earth." She lifted him off the floor and held him up in front of her. He could see the fiery rage in her eyes and he knew that he had screwed up royally. She slammed him against the marble wall again and again.  
  
She was about to break his neck when a hand touched her shoulder. She dropped Spike and looked up at Angel.  
  
"He's not worth it Buffy."  
  
"No, he's not, but he deserves what he's receiving."  
  
She looked up at the preacher who looked completely horrified at the scene he had just witnessed. She felt a little bad at what she had done in the church. Buffy had always been taught that a church was the house of God and that no violence should happen here, it was a sanctuary. She smiled grimly and thought, *There goes my chance to go back to heaven.*  
  
"Come on, let's finish getting married." Angel said taking her hand and leading her back up to the steps. Willow looked at her friend in mute horror. She hadn't known about Buffy and Spike. When Buffy's gaze swept the other attendants, she saw Willow wasn't the only one who hadn't known. Wesley and Giles looked at Buffy stunned. She felt even worse now. There was going to be some explaining to be done.  
  
Buffy looked at the preacher and said quietly, "Sorry father, please continue."  
  
When the preacher finally got his voice back, he told Buffy softly, "You are forgiven my child." Then to everyone else, "Let us continue. If there is anyone else who does not want these two to be joined in matrimony, I suggest you leave now." They all laughed, even Buffy. "No one? Good. Then, Angel, do you take Buffy Summers to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"  
  
"I do." Angel replied looking at Buffy.  
  
"And do you Buffy take Angel Kendall to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"  
  
"I don't." Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel looked scared.  
  
"Well, death will never part us Angel."  
  
He smiled and stroked her cheek through her veil covering her face.  
  
"But other than that, I do." She said glowing with happiness.  
  
"Ok, by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
  
Angel and Buffy's lips met and it was a kiss that shamed all other kisses that had come before in their relationship. It was their first kiss as husband and wife. They broke away and looked at all the smiling, clapping people. Lorne was crying and trying to hide it. Buffy and Angel smiled then walked down the stairs to the back rooms of the church. He didn't want to take her outside just yet. He remembered his dream from three years ago.  
  
"I love you." Buffy said.  
  
"I love you." They kissed again and again. Each kiss feeling charged with more and more love. They waited for al the guests to gather outside before they walked out. Buffy and Angel hadn't wanted the rice thing, but Willow insisted that they do it. After all Buffy had gone with tradition all this time, why stop there?  
  
They walked out to a shower of rice and white rose petals to the limo with the white cans trailing the bumper and the graffiti announcing "Just Married" all over it. They hopped in, dusting rice and flower petals off of them, and shut the door. The limo pulled away and headed for a trip around town. They wanted to wait till the guests were all at the Bronze before the newly weds made their astounding entrance.  
  
  
  
Half and hour later everyone was at the Bronze. Buffy and Angel pulled up in their limo and got out. They walked through the door to the applause of their friends. This day was the best of all days in Buffy and Angel's lives. Minus the whole Spike ordeal. Willow and Gunn were the first to hug the newly weds. Buffy scanned the crowd to make sure Wesley had decided to stay. There he was, sitting with Giles over in the couches by the stairs. She smiled and walked over to them, leading Angel by the hand.  
  
"Giles! Wesley!" Buffy greeted. They stood up and each hugged Buffy in turn. Giles gave Angel a firm handshake and at the last second, pulled Angel into a hug. Then Angel and Wesley's eyes met. Buffy was nervous. She knew that Angel wouldn't try anything here, but she wasn't sure if he would say something. To her surprise, Angel stuck out his hand to Wesley and the two shook hands.  
  
"This doesn't mean I forgive you for what you did. But for Buffy's and everyone else's sake, I won't cause a scene." Angel said sincerely.  
  
"Thank you. Congratulations to both of you." Wesley said.  
  
Buffy smiled and gripped her husband's hand. Giles stood and looked at Buffy.  
  
"You could have told me." He stated.  
  
"I know, but I didn't. I was too ashamed of it myself."  
  
"It's comprehensible. I'm sorry, for what Spike did."  
  
"It's not your fault. If it's any body's fault, it's mine."  
  
"It's not your fault Buffy." Angel said.  
  
"It is. I'm the one who allowed it to happen. In fact I'm the one who instigated it. If I hadn't, he never would have tried to stop the wedding."  
  
"Buffy. I just want you to know, I don't care what you did with him. I love you. You are my daughter and nothing you do will change my feelings for you." Giles said.  
  
"Thank you. I love you too, Giles." She hugged him then Wesley. Suddenly, a hand was touching her shoulder. She turned and met Willow's resolve face.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" the red head inquired.  
  
"I was afraid."  
  
"Afraid?"  
  
"Angel, will you excuse us?"  
  
"Certainly. Just don't stray too far, we have to go do the first dance thing soon." Angel gave Buffy a quick kiss and then allowed Willow to lead Buffy away.  
  
"Afraid?" she asked again.  
  
"Yes. I was afraid that you would hate me. That you would shun me for what I did with Spike."  
  
"Buffy, I would never. Tara told me that she knew about it. Why did you go to Tara instead of me?"  
  
"Because, you were off magic and I needed her to find out if I was normal. Spike can hit me. I don't know why, but he can. He told me I came back wrong. I had Tara do a spell and find out what was wrong."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm sorry Will, I really am."  
  
"It's ok. I'm going to beat Spike up the next time I see him."  
  
"Will, no! He's had enough. He won't bother me or Angel again. Not after what I did to him in the church."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come on."  
  
Willow took Buffy's hand and led her over to Angel. She then drug the couple onto the dance floor and climbed onstage. Willow turned the mic on and tested it by tapping on the speaker thing.  
  
"Ok, I know the best man is supposed to give a little speech and all, but I wanted to do it first. Sorry Gunn. Anyway. Buffy, Angel, there is no one on this Earth who deserves this happiness that you all are sharing right now more than you two. You all have been through Hell and back, literally. You've both died, twice and yet you're still here going strong. For that I admire you. Buffy, here and now I would like to say 'Sorry.' I'm sorry for yanking you out of heaven. Although, you do have to admit that you're grateful for it. I mean, you wouldn't be here with the man you love, right?" When Buffy nodded, Willow continued. "And Angel, you have saved my life on more than one occasion, and for that, I'm glad to have you living in our home. It makes me feel safe. Not that I didn't before, with Buffy there, I mean, but I feel safer now that you're here too. The two most powerful warriors working for the Powers have found each other. And to you both everyone here would like to say 'Thank you.' If it weren't for you two, none of us would be here right now. Cheers."  
  
Everyone raised their glasses to the newly weds and applauded them. Then Gunn got on stage.  
  
"Ok, this is turning out to be sort of a 'This is You Life' Hellmouth style. Buffy, granted I only met you a year and a half ago, the way Angel talked about you, I thought you were MY girlfriend. Sorry Fred, didn't mean that literally. Anyway, Buffy, truly you are THE best thing for Angel. Only three months ago Angel was telling me that he planned to marry you. He told me that together, you, Dawn, him, and Conner would start a family in Sunnydale. He had the whole thing planned out! He knew that you would never leave your house, so he planned to move in. He was going to pay to have an extra room or two added to the back of the house. You know, make the kitchen bigger add a room for Conner and a room for whoever came to stay. It was sad Buffy! He had everything mapped out. But then, Conner was taken and things went to hell from there. If it hadn't been for you Buffy, we would have lost Angel completely. I thank you for that. Angel changed my destiny. He showed me friendship, and if it hadn't been for him, I never would have met the girl of my dreams. He gave me a home and friends. And I'll let you all in on a secret, I owe all that stuff to Buffy. If it hadn't been for her, there would be no Angel. Angel, you owe all your life to Buffy! Treat her right, or else I'm gonna gang up on you! Angel man, I consider you a brother. And now, now I have a sister-in-law! And the coolest thing is: she's a super hero! I love you guys! Cheers!"  
  
Again, they all lifted their glasses to the couple. Gunn walked off and up cam Giles.  
  
"This is going to be a long night of speeches and confessions. So, I'll try not to make it too long. Buffy, you are my daughter. I don't see you any other way. Angel, now that you are married to her, that makes you my son. It's a little strange though, you're older than me!" Everyone laughed. "But that's ok. I've approved of you and Buffy from day one. I did have my moments after that whole Angelus thing, but I still approved, deep down. I was very close-minded about it. It was because of the curse, now that I know that danger is gone, I am overcome with joy for both of you. Keep her safe Angel. I've watched her grow into a beautiful woman. She is delicate, no matter how strong she is. She shows her vulnerability to only a few people and this scares her. She has been through so much and there are people who want to hurt her by hitting that very vulnerability. Never let that happen Angel. Carry the torch I've been carrying since I first had the honor of becoming her Watcher. Cheers."  
  
Next came Xander.  
  
"Guys, I admit that in the past I hated the very thought of you two. I was so in love with Buffy I couldn't see straight. I hated Angel with a fiery passion. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like him that much, but he's getting there. I guess that you're now a permanent member of the Scooby Gang; I have to give you a chance. Just to let you know though, Buffy has friends who love her very much and I'm one of them. If you hurt her in even the tiniest way, your butt's mine! Congratulations!"  
  
Dawn walked up on stage next. She lowered the mic so she could speak in it better.  
  
"Hey Buffy. Hi Angel. Congratulations. I'm happy for you guys. And I'm happy to have Angel as my dad figure. Buffy is my mom. She may not have given birth to me, but after our mom died, Buffy did an amazing thing. She took me in and filled the role of mommy. She didn't have too. She could have just sent me back to my dad. Now I'm living in a happy home with people I love and now I get to add one more to it. Angel, welcome to the family."  
  
Next up was Cordelia.  
  
"Buffy, I want to say sorry for all the mean things that I said or did to you in high school. It was all petty. Even the parts where I tried to take Angel from you. Now you both are two of my bestest friends in the world. Angel, you took me in when my acting career never took off. For that I thank you. Buffy, you've saved my life on many, many occasions. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here right now, I wouldn't have met Gru, and I wouldn't be this happy. I know what life without you can be like here in Sunnydale. Thanks to Anya anyway. Truest me, it isn't pretty. So thank you. Thank you a lot. Cheers."  
  
When Cordy came off stage and gave Buffy and Angel hugs, the music started. It wasn't time for the first dance yet, but it was soon. The couple walked around and talked to everybody. Suddenly, the door to the Bronze opened. Buffy and Angel looked over and saw Oz standing there.  
  
"Oz!?" Buffy exclaimed.  
  
"I heard that two of my best friends were getting married. Thought I'd drop by and say congrats." Oz said in his nonchalant way.  
  
Buffy walked over to Oz and hugged him. "It is so good to see you after all this time!"  
  
"Yup, nice to see you too. Hey Angel. Congrats to both of you." Oz said giving Angel a handshake.  
  
"You too. Who told you?" Angel asked.  
  
"Surprisingly, Willow."  
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yup. Guilty." Willow said walking up to the three. "Hey Oz."  
  
"Hey Willow."  
  
"You look good."  
  
"Yeah, you too."  
  
"I'm glad you made it."  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
"Hey, I don't mean to bust up the beautiful moment, but there is a cake over there that's looking mighty tasty. Can you two dance already so we can cut the cake?" Xander said.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Buffy said. Angel led her to the dance floor and swept her up. They danced to "This I Promise You" by NSYNC. Afterwards, they cut the cake and ate. The party went on like this for another three hours. Everyone was catching up with Oz and just enjoying the whole gang being back together.  
  
After only two hours, Buffy and Angel snuck away and went home. They were exhausted! As Buffy tried to open the door, Angel stopped her.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Starting our life together right." He swept her up into his arms, opened the door, and carried her across the threshold. "There."  
  
He carried her upstairs to her bedroom. As they lay in bed together after a long night of making love, Buffy looked up at her lover.  
  
"This is going to be a very interesting eternity."  
  
"Yup."  
  
THE END 


End file.
